notesfrompoland.com (17.08.2021) The Polish government has unveiled plans for a new child benefit scheme. It hopes that the policy will provide an “incentive to have more children”, who will “create the future of our nation”. Under the “Family Welfare Capital” scheme approved by the cabinet…

thefinancialexpress.com.bd (10.08.2021) The Government of Bangladesh has allocated 17.83 per cent of the total budget for fiscal 2021-22 for Social Safety Net Programmes (SSNPs). The coverage is diverse; it includes programmes related to poverty eradication, education, health, infrastructure,…

policyoptions.irpp.org (10.08.2021) COVID revealed the shortcomings of Employment Insurance and income-support programs. As the economy rebuilds, now’s the time to examine the system.

Volvo Cars is opting in its 40,000+ employees around the globe, in all plants and offices, into a new all-gender, paid parental leave policy as of April 1, 2021. The ‘Family Bond’ policy will give all employees with at least one year’s service a total of 24 weeks of leave at 80 per cent of their…

 Inventiva (20.07.2021) India’s pandemic crisis has had its heart-rending consequences on millions of people across informal sectors.

Pension Policy International (19.07.2021) Spain will pay workers to postpone retirement as part of a pensions reform strategy that analysts warn does not go far enough to cut a huge deficit in the system.

ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights - JAKARTA – As COVID-19 cases surge in Thailand and Malaysia, as well as elsewhere in the region, Southeast Asian lawmakers urge these governments to take more inclusive measures to protect everyone without discrimination, regardless of their migration…

The Economic Times (15.07.2021) The labour ministers of five BRICS nations -Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa on Thursday, said the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the efforts made in the past to address unemployment, decent work deficits and inequality. “Discussion on…

European Commission (06.07.2021) This review provides an up-to-date economic analysis of the steps the European Union (EU) is taking towards a strong social Europe, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis. This ESDE report shows that the social impact of…

Times of India (06.07.2021) Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday launched a scheme and an online portal to provide financial assistance to families who lost their loved ones to Covid-19 and asked officials not to find faults in their claim applications. Under the 'Mukhyamantri…

Pension Policy International (09.07.2021) Germany’s basic pension scheme kicks off this July Shortly before the federal election in September, Germany’s coalition government is finally delivering on its promise to top-up insubstantial pension benefits to ensure a basic standard of living for all…

oecd.org (March 2021) The COVID-19 pandemic has created new challenges for many families: in addition to health and economic issues, policy measures such as lockdowns, school closures and teleworking from home out considerable stress on families. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted immediate…

odi.org (09.07.2021) Before Covid-19, many countries were engaged in the process of strengthening core social protection systems and exploring ways to develop their shock-responsive capacity. However, these system-building efforts were still nascent in many low- and middle-income countries (LICs…

Introduction: A number of predictive models and forecasting exercises have been developed by various organizations, such as research groups, academic institutions, hospitals, and consulting companies, with the main aim to support health systems in with COVID-19 strategic decision making,…

The government’s COVID Local Support Grant, first introduced in December 2020, has been extended through to September bringing it in line with the end date for furlough and other COVID-related support. This is beyond the planned ending of restrictions, to help families get back on their feet as…

 BBC News (22.07.2021) The rollout of a benefit aimed at tackling child poverty in Scotland could be in jeopardy unless eligible families can be identified, according to a House of Commons committee.

capital.com (29.06.2021) Malaysia announced a MYR150bn ($36bn) economic aid package as the Southeast Asian nation continues to grapple with COVID-19 restrictions. The package has aspects such as direct cash transfers to citizens, assistance to small and medium enterprises and additional…

ESRI (21.06.2021) COVID-19 had, and continues to have, a strong negative effect on incomes in Ireland due to widespread job losses as the measures put in place to slow the spread of the disease resulted in severe economic restrictions. Despite the existence of unemployment supports, additional…

allAfrica.com - Taxi drivers and boda boda cyclists cross the country whose businesses were affected by the lockdown will benefit from the government Covid cash, Mr James Ebitu, the director of social protection in the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development, has said. Other groups in…

Privacy International (22.06.2021) The global Covid-19 pandemic has acted as a catalyst for technology-intensive initiatives for welfare distribution, coming at a high cost to human rights and inclusion: enforcing automated discrimination, exacerbating existing inequalities and compromising…

This document provides an overview of social protection measures announced in response to COVID-19 that have made specific reference to persons with disabilities. Rather than seeking to provide an exhaustive survey of measures, it identifies the main characteristics and trends for social…

A record 80.5 million Americans have health coverage through Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program, largely because states have had to keep people enrolled during the coronavirus pandemic, according to new federal data released Monday.

UNCTAD (16.06.2021) Coronavirus pandemic recovery efforts should provide comprehensive social protection, fight climate change and ensure vaccines reach the poorest people quickly.

Project Syndicate (16.06.2021) During the COVID-19 pandemic, governments worldwide have taken advantage of technological solutions to streamline social-protection schemes. But, for all its benefits, a digital approach to welfare programs implies an obvious risk: exclusion of those on the wrong…