The social security system in Papua New Guinea comprises:

• Compulsory superannuation savings.
• A Work Injury Compensation Insurance Scheme covering enterprises with 10 or more employees, funded by employer premiums paid to insurance companies. 
• Mandatory employer provision of sick pay.
• Paid maternity leave of 12 weeks provided in the public sector for qualifying permanent staff. In the private sector only unpaid leave is provided for, though some employment agreements provide for paid maternity leave.

Papua New Guinea does not currently have a national Old Age Pension, as PNG has traditionally operated under the wantok system, where the elderly, disabled or orphaned are taken care of by the extended family. However, the New Ireland Social Pension Scheme is a regional age and disability pension scheme that has been in place in that region since 2009, successfully paying these benefits to residents of the New Ireland Province. This program may inform any future plans for a national Old Age Pension scheme.

Given that there is no country-wide social security safety net, superannuation plays a crucial role in supporting older Papua New Guineans.