A Ministry of Social Affairs or Department of Social Affairs is the common name for a government department found in states where the

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...

is divided into

ministries Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian mi ...

or departments. While there is some variation in the responsibilities of such ministries, the common thread between them is their responsibility for assisting members of

society A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Socie ...

who are in a vulnerable position for example due to age, dependence on government aid, or being the employee in an employee/employer relationship. Ministries of this type cover matters such as

social work Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...

social protection Social protection, as defined by the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, is concerned with preventing, managing, and overcoming situations that adversely affect people's well-being. Social protection consists of policies and p ...

and assistance,

pensions A pension (, from Latin ''pensiō'', "payment") is a fund into which a sum of money is added during an employee's employment years and from which payments are drawn to support the person's retirement from work in the form of periodic payments ...

welfare Welfare, or commonly social welfare, is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specificall ...

health Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...

and

social security Welfare, or commonly social welfare, is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specificall ...

, and workplace standards for employees Examples of such ministries include: *

Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Albania) The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs () was a ministry of the Albanian Government charged with the responsibility to protect and safeguard the interest of workers in general and the poor, deprived and disadvantaged sections of the society. ...

Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (Armenia) The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia ( hy, ՀՀ աշխատանքի և սոցիալական հարցերի նախարարություն) is a republican body of executive authority, which elaborates and implements the policies of the ...

Ministry of Social Affairs (Austria) In Austrian politics, the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection (''Bundesministerium für Soziales, Gesundheit, Pflege und Konsumentenschutz'') is the ministry in charge of welfare policy. The Ministry was fi ...

Ministry of Social Welfare (Bangladesh) The Ministry of Social Welfare ( bn, সমাজকল্যাণ মন্ত্রণালয়; ''Samājakalyāṇa mantraṇālaẏa'') is the government ministry of Bangladesh responsible for the programs and the provision of social, reh ...

Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Czech Republic) The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic () is a government ministry, which was established in 1969. External links * Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Ce ...

Ministry of Social Affairs (Denmark) The Danish Ministry of Social Affairs was re-created in 2010 as a split of the Social Welfare ministry created after the 2007 Folketing elections. The split moved the section that had to do with the Ministry of the Interior off into the Ministry ...

Ministry of Social Affairs (Estonia) The Ministry of Social Affairs of Estonia ( et, Eesti Sotsiaalministeerium) is a government ministry of Estonia responsible for social policies of the country. List of Ministers The position first appeared in the government of Mart Laar establi ...

Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (Ethiopia) Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs ( am, የሠራተኛና ማህበራዊ ጉዳይ ሚኒስቴር; established in 1957) is a ministry of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia since 1957. Its name changed time to time following the syste ...

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health ( fi, Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö , sv, Social- och hälsovårdsministeriet) is a Finnish government ministry tasked with the planning and implementation of policies regarding the social affairs and ...

(Finland) *

Minister of Social Affairs (France) The Minister of Labour, Employment and Economic Inclusion (), commonly just referred to as Minister of Labour, is a cabinet member in the Government of France. The minister is responsible for employment, labour legislation as well as the integr ...

Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Affairs of Georgia The Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Health, Labour and Social Affairs of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს ოკუპირებული ტერიტორიებიდან იძ� ...

Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs The Federal Ministry for Labour and Social Affairs (german: Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales, ), abbreviated BMAS) is a federal ministry of the Federal Republic of Germany headed by the Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs a ...

(Germany, BMAS) *

Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Greece) The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs ( el, Υπουργείο Εργασίας και Κοινωνικών Υποθέσεων) is a government department of Greece. The incumbent minister is Kostis Hatzidakis, Vice President of New Democracy ...

Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (Haiti) The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor is a ministry of the Government of Haiti. This ministry is responsible for workplace A workplace is a location where someone works, for their employer or themselves, a place of employment. Such a plac ...

Ministry of Social Affairs (Iceland) The Ministry of Welfare ( is, Velferðarráðuneytið) is an Icelandic cabinet-level ministry founded 1 January 2011. It is the result of the merger of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Security, founded 17 April 1939 as the Ministry of So ...

Ministry of Social Affairs (Indonesia) Ministry of Social Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia (abbreviated as Kemensos, formerly Department of Social Affairs) is a ministry that has the task of organizing and overseeing domestic affairs in Indonesia to assist the president in implemen ...

Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Iran) Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian mi ...

Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services The Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services ( he, משרד העבודה, הרווחה והשירותים החברתיים, ''Misrad HaAvoda, HaRevaha VeHaSherutim HaHevrati'im'') is the branch of government charged with overseeing em ...

(Israel) *

Ministry of Women, Youth, Sports and Social Affairs The Ministry of Women, Youth, Sports and Social Affais (MWYSSA) is a government ministry of Kiribati, headquartered in South Tarawa, Tarawa. The ministry was created in October 2013. Ministers * Tangariki Reete (2013–2016) * David Collins (2 ...

(Kiribati, MWYSSA) *

Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (Kuwait) The Ministry of Social Affairs, previously known as the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour, is one of the ministries of the State of Kuwait. The current Minister is Mai Jassem Al-Baghli. History On December 14, 1954, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Sa ...

Ministry of Social Affairs (Lebanon) The Ministry of Social Affairs ( ar, وزارة الشؤون الإجتماعية) of Lebanon is part of the cabinet. History and functions The ministry was created in 1993 by Law Number 212 and modified by Law Number 327 and Decree Number 573 ...

* Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture (Macau) *

Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (Myanmar) The Ministry of Labour ( my, ) is a ministry in the Burmese government responsible for the country's labour welfare and renders services to employers and workers. President Htin Kyaw combined Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security ...

Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment ( nl, Ministerie van Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid; SZW) is the Dutch ministry responsible for social affairs, relations between employers and employees, social security, trade unions and emancip ...

(Netherlands, SZW) *

Ministry of Social Affairs (Norway) The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion ( no, Arbeids- og inkluderingsdepartementet, AID) is a Norwegian ministry established in 1846. It is responsible for the labour market, the working environment, pensions, welfare, so ...

Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Russia) The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation (russian: Министерство труда и социальной защиты Российской Федерации) is a ministry of the Government of Russia responsible ...

* Ministry of Employment, Social and Family Affairs (Somaliland) *

Ministry of Social Affairs (Spain) The Ministry of Social Affairs (MAS), since 2020 known as Ministry of Social Rights and 2030 Agenda, is a department of the Government of Spain responsible for the government policies on social services, family, minors protection, disability an ...

– currently the Ministry of Social Rights and 2030 Agenda *

Ministry of Health and Social Affairs (Sweden) The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs ( sv, Socialdepartementet) is the ministry in the government of Sweden responsible for policies related to social welfare: financial security, social services, medical and health care, health promotion ...

* Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (Syria) *

Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (Vietnam) The Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA, vi, Bộ Lao động, Thương binh và Xã hội) is a government ministry in Vietnam responsible for state administration on labour, employment, occupational safety, social insu ...

;International organizations *

Social Affairs and Health Committee The Social Affairs and Health Committee of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council for the African Union is responsible for: * Health * Children * Drug control * Population * Migration * Labor and employment * Family * Aging * The physically cha ...

(African Union) * Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (European Commission, EMPL) *

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) is part of the United Nations Secretariat and is responsible for the follow-up to major United Nations Summits and Conferences, as well as services to the United Nations Econ ...

(UN DESA)

See also