Innovation science and technologiy Volume 2 Issue 3 (2026)
THE “MISSING MIDDLE” PROBLEM IN SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEMS AND MECHANISMS FOR ADDRESSING IT
Bafoev, Farrukh
Abstract
This article examines the “missing middle” problem in social protection systems and its implications forexpanding social protection coverage. The study is based on conceptual frameworks and statistical data developedby international organizations, including the International Labour Organization, the World Bank, and the InternationalSocial Security Association. The findings indicate that a significant share of the population, particularly those engagedin informal employment, self-employed individuals, and workers with unstable labour relations, remain insufficientlycovered by social protection systems. This gap reduces the effectiveness of social policies and increases socio-economicvulnerability among these groups. Based on international experience, the article proposes policy recommendationsaimed at expanding social protection coverage, integrating informal workers into social insurance systems, and improvinginstitutional mechanisms of social protection.
social protection, social protection coverage, missing middle, informal sector, social insurance, social policy, social inequality, labour market, institutional mechanisms
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