Muscat – A report issued by the Gulf Cooperation Council Statistical Centre states that the social protection systems adopted by GCC countries represent a leading regional and international model, combining social justice with economic efficiency.
The report, titled ‘The Reality and Policies of Social Protection in the GCC Countries’, underscores that sustained investment in human capital remains central to achieving stability, prosperity and sustainable development, while strengthening social cohesion across the Gulf.
According to the report, all GCC countries fall within the ‘very high human development’ category in the 2025 Human Development Index, reflecting progress in health, education and quality of life. The bloc also performs above the global average in the 2025 Social Progress Index, highlighting its focus on human well-being and inclusive development.
Economic strength continues to underpin these outcomes. Average per capita GDP in the GCC in 2024 was nearly three times the global average. All member states ranked among the top six at the regional level for West Asia and Africa in the Global Competitiveness Index, supporting their ability to finance comprehensive social safety nets.
The report notes that access to basic services in GCC countries has reached full coverage, with 100% of the population enjoying access to education, healthcare, clean water and electricity. Government spending on social protection ranged between 19.2% and 22.9% of total public expenditure in 2022, reflecting the priority given to human capital development.
Social protection systems in the GCC cover all stages of life, beginning at childhood, where the registration rate for children under five reached 100%, compared with a global average of 77.2%. Coverage continues through working life via unemployment insurance, work injury compensation and maternity and paternity benefits, and extends into old age through mandatory pension schemes. In some countries, retirement replacement rates reach 100% of contributory salaries.
The report states that more than 15mn individuals are insured under GCC pension systems. The number of retirees exceeded 985,000, with more than 497,000 beneficiaries, while total annual insurance benefits surpassed US$31bn, highlighting the scale of these systems and their economic and social impact.
Extending social security coverage across GCC borders is cited as one of the most notable outcomes of Gulf integration. Around 34,000 citizens were covered by pension and social security systems outside their home countries in 2023, representing growth of more than 330% compared with 2007. This, the report said, reflects progress under the Gulf Common Market.
Despite the advances, the report identifies challenges, including demographic changes, ensuring long-term financial sustainability, addressing coverage gaps, improving benefit adequacy and strengthening institutional coordination and data integration. It recommends diversifying funding sources and establishing a unified GCC-level information system to support evidence-based decision-making.
