Social security includes different areas: pension,  health insurance, unemployment insurance, death grant, social benefits for disabled persons and state compensation for victims of crime.

The Ministry of Social Affairs is preparing  international social security agreements and participating in international cooperation, for example in the work of the committees of the European Union and the Council of Europe.

As Estonia has become a party to the European Social Charter, every year the Ministry prepares a report about performance of the obligations assumed. The Social Charter is a document of the Council of Europe that forms a basis for protection of people’s social rights. The Social Charter establishes minimum standards that the states that have become a party to it have to secure for their citizens. The report on the Social Charter includes a survey of both the legislation as well as statistics and judicial practice of the state.

Another important source document is the European Code of Social Security. The standards of the Code of Social Security are considered to be the minimum standards of social security in Europe. The Code governs nine types of social security benefits: medical care, sickness benefits, unemployment benefits, old-age benefits, occupational accident benefits, family benefits, maternity benefits, disability benefits and survivor's benefits.

Social protection in Estonia

Parental Benefit