Since the onset of the pandemic, every country has turned to social security on a scale rarely seen before. The protracted crisis and the subsequent mutations of the COVID‑19 virus continue to pose a policy dilemma on whether to open up the economy but at the risk of a resurgence of contagion. Amidst the unprecedented adversity, social security organizations in the Americas are doing their best to deliver on the promise of protection. Pre-pandemic efforts to build capacities and improve services are enabling an unwavering response to the demands of the times. The report covers five topics, namely:

• Evolving management practices;

• Extending and maintaining social security coverage;

• Meeting the needs of an ageing population;

• Promoting inclusive growth and social cohesion;

• Social security responses to COVID‑19 in the Americas.