The ILO's InFocus Programme on Socio-Economic Security. (Introduction).

Rapid globalization, technological change, increased labour market flexibility and growing informalization of work are affecting people's social and economic security worldwide. (1) Attempts have been made to identify and analyse the various forms of insecurity that result from this process. (2) However, little is known about people's individual perceptions of insecurity in work and life.

In order to fill this gap, the ILO's InFocus Programme on Socio-Economic Security (IFP/SES) launched a special household survey, known as People's Security Surveys (PSSs), to gather data directly from samples of individuals in 13 countries across three developing regions and Eastern Europe. Developing the PSS concept and conducting the national surveys have required an enormous effort on the part of a team of researchers whose contributions the International Labour Review is pleased to acknowledge in this special issue.

Each country PSS was carried out by a national collaborating team, which helped to develop the PSS and adapt it to national conditions, under the responsibility of a member of the IFP/SES staff. Thus, Guy Standing, the Director of the IFP/SES and a major contributor to the development of the PSS approach, was mainly responsible for the surveys in Indonesia and South Africa. Richard Anker, in addition to coordinating work on the PSS for cross-country comparability and developing conceptual frameworks and practical tools, was responsible for Bangladesh and Hungary. Azfar Khan took primary responsibility for Ethiopia, Pakistan and Tanzania; Lena Lavinas, for Argentina, Brazil and Chile; Sukti Dasgupta, for India; Deborah Levison and Sriram …