BVI launches “Secure Your Tomorrow” to encourage greater participation in social security system

An innovative campaign to promote and boost registrations and payment of contributions to the social security system in the British Virgin Islands was officially launched in March 2024 by the Territory’s Social Security Board (SSB).

Organized in collaboration with the National Health Insurance (NHI), “Secure Your Tomorrow” is designed to sensitize the public on how social security can improve their socio-economic resilience for a more prosperous future. The SSB hopes that through greater understanding and awareness, more persons – particularly the most vulnerable – will register and contribute to the system.

“This campaign is a national indicator of the BVI Social Security Board’s dedication to improving beneficiary awareness and attitudes. Through the accomplished objectives of this campaign, we expect greater beneficiary participation and contribution, particularly from our self-employed community. Ultimately, this campaign is about engaging our beneficiaries at every level. It is about ensuring that the workforce of the BVI receives a collective understanding of their rights and responsibilities to better their future,” said Ms Lorie Freeman, Deputy Director of the BVI Social Security Board.

With direct, easy-to-understand key messages that include “Get Registered, Pay Your Contributions and Safeguard Your Benefits”, the awareness campaign seeks to close gaps in participation among persons who typically lack social security coverage including youth and the self-employed as well as workers and economic units in the informal economy and those that are not paying their contributions.

The campaign features a series of public events across the BVI to share knowledge and information about SSB benefits, NHI benefits and contributions, throughout the different islands. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions directly to SSB and NHI officials. To date, locations have included a Career Fair, Agriculture Fair, as well as community presentations in 1st and 6th Districts, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke and Virgin Gorda.

Activities are designed to simplify and facilitate the process to register and participate with onsite services such as claim submissions, card renewals, and checks on contributions.

“The ILO congratulates the Social Security Board and National Health Insurance of the British Virgin Islands on this groundbreaking initiative to increase access to social security, reduce vulnerabilities, lower the risk of poverty and lead to greater social inclusion,” said Joana Borges, ILO Caribbean Specialist for Social Protection and Occupational Safety and Health.

“Secure Your Tomorrow” is supported with technical guidance from the ILO Caribbean Office under the Joint Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Fund Resilient Caribbean Programme, which intends to equip Small Island Developing States (SIDS) with the capacity they need to strengthen their social protection mechanisms and leave no one behind. The Programme is expected to benefit the 31,000 residents of BVI including those operating in the informal sector.

For more information about the Secure Your Tomorrow campaign, visit the BVI SSB website .

Details on the Resilient Caribbean Programme are available on the Joint SDG Fund website .