Burkina Faso, a landlocked nation in West Africa with a population of over 22 million people, operates a social security system that reflects both the challenges and aspirations of a developing economy striving to provide social protection for its citizens. The country’s social security framework, primarily governed by the Social Security Code of 2006, represents a crucial pillar in the nation’s efforts to build economic resilience and provide safety nets for workers and their families. The social security landscape in Burkina Faso is characterized by a dual-track approach that serves different segments of the workforce through distinct institutional mechanisms. This comprehensive system, while facing significant challenges in coverage and reach, provides essential benefits that form the backbone of social protection for formal sector workers and their dependents. The Institutional Framework: A Tale of Two Systems Burkina Faso’s social security architecture operates through two primary institutions, each serving distinct categories of...