Global Challenges search

Select the global challenge
Title Abstract Tags Topics Regions / Country
Dynamic Social Registries for Adaptive Social Protection in the Sahel : Four Recommendations pmassetti worldbank.org (01.03.2025) This policy note consolidates the highlights of a study funded by the Sahel Adaptive Social Protection Program (SASPP), exploring the role and operationalization of dynamic social registries in low-income and shock-prone contexts, including in the Sahel. The study is based on innovations in dynamic social registries in low- and middle-income countries, identifying what works and key considerations in the design and adaptation of social registries toward their dynamic updatability and scalability in contexts marked by high exposure and vulnerability to shocks, high levels of poverty, and/or low levels of digital penetration. Information and communication technology Africa
Making Progress on Parental Benefits in Low- and Middle-Income Countries pmassetti worldbank.org (24.03.2025) The World Bank estimates that closing the gender gap in employment would increase long-run gross domestic product (GDP) per capita by 20 percent (Pennings 2022). Realizing this achievement, however, depends not only on removing gender barriers to employment but also and most emphatically on improving the quality of women’s employment. Women’s labor force participation has been stagnant since 1990, at around 53 percent for women compared to 80 percent for men, with the largest gaps in lower-middle-income countries (World Bank 2023). Moreover, as noted by the World Bank’s most recent gender strategy, “Women in the labor force are half as likely as men to have a full-time wage job, their jobs tend to be more vulnerable, and they earn 77 cents for every dollar men earn” (World Bank 2023). This note compiles findings from a study undertaken in two countries—one low income (Nepal) and one middle income (Argentina)—to examine the take-up of existing parental benefits and how parental benefit policies (or the lack thereof) influenced women’s labor market choices, childcare responsibilities, and well-being. Family benefits
Leaving no parent behind: Lessons from family friendly policies in Nepal pmassetti worldbank.org (07.03.2025) Designing family-friendly policies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) requires being cognizant of the diverse labor markets, administrative challenges, fiscal constraints, and prevailing social norms. A World Bank study in Nepal evaluated parental leave and related benefits to identify implementation gaps and opportunities to expand coverage to parents, especially those in the informal sector. It used a framework with six salient elements: parental leave, cash benefits, medical benefits, workplace protections, non-discrimination for return to work, and childcare. Family benefits nepal
Counterfactual impact evaluations of active labour market policies pmassetti oecd.org (20.03.2025) Public employment services and active labour market policies (ALMPs) have an important role to play in providing adaptable and responsive support to connect people with jobs. This policy report synthesises findings from a joint OECD-EC project on using linked administrative data to evaluate the impact of ALMPs. The report brings insights across a range of dimensions. It shows the power that evaluation brings to policymaking to design effective and efficient ALMPs. It demonstrates the necessity for high-quality and rich data, linked across registers. It discusses how institutions, actors and legislation co-ordinate to generate systematic and credible evidence. Despite the considerable progress made, the report identifies areas where further improvements are needed. The report is written jointly by the OECD and the Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission. Employment policies
How does population ageing affect health system financial sustainability and affordable access to health care in Europe? pmassetti (18.03.3025) This brief aims to improve our understanding of how population ageing affects the financial sustainability of health systems, focusing on its likely impact on affordable access to health care (‎financial protection)‎. It uses the Population Ageing Financial Sustainability Gap for Health Systems (‎PASH)‎ Simulator to forecast the impact of population ageing on health system revenue and spending between now and 2060 to estimate the likely size of the ageing-related health financing gap in selected countries in Europe (‎Bulgaria, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain)‎. It then simulates the impact of filling this gap through out-of-pocket payments on the incidence of impoverishing and catastrophic health spending – two key indicators of affordable access to health care – and discusses the policy implications for countries in Europe and beyond. Health, Old-age pensions Europe
A brief history of Medicaid and America’s long struggle to establish a health care safety net pmassetti theconversation.com (18.03.2025) The Medicaid system has emerged as an early target of the Trump administration’s campaign to slash federal spending. A joint federal and state program, Medicaid provides health insurance coverage for more than 72 million people, including low-income Americans and their children and people with disabilities. It also helps foot the bill for long-term care for older people. In late February 2025, House Republicans advanced a budget proposal that would potentially cut US$880 billion from Medicaid over 10 years. President Donald Trump has backed that House budget despite repeatedly vowing on the campaign trail and during his team’s transition that Medicaid cuts were off the table. United States
Nigeria: NSITF partners media to deepen social protection safety net pmassetti Vanguard News (17.03.2025) In a strategic move to expand Nigeria’s  social protection safety net, the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, has announced a partnership with the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ. Communication nigeria
Supporting the transition to digital cash transfers in rural Mexico pmassetti voxdev.org (21.01.2025) Women in Mexico who switched to digital cash transfers face higher costs and time accessing payments but gain bargaining power. Improving ATM access, reducing fees, providing timely information on the date of transfers and boosting financial literacy could mitigate these challenges. cct Digital inclusion, Service delivery mexico
Singapore looks to AI help to manage health of fast-aging population pmassetti cnbc.com (09.03.2025) By 2030, a quarter of Singaporeans will be 65 or over — in 2010, the figure was one in 10. Artificial intelligence is set to play a “huge” role in elderly care in Singapore, said Chuan De Foo, a research fellow at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health. But the use of technology must be balanced with human caregiving, said Dr Han Ei Chew, a research fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, describing a “high tech, but high touch” approach. Old-age pensions singapore
Rethinking unemployment insurance: New evidence on hidden costs pmassetti CEPR (24.02.2025) As governments worldwide grapple with labour shortages and systemic budget shortfalls, the question arises of how unemployment insurance policies potentially contribute to this imbalance by increasing and extending nonemployment. This column argues that recent debates around unemployment insurance reform, which often focus on the effect among job seekers, overlook potential unintended consequences among the employed. Taking moral hazard among employed workers into account has substantial effects on the welfare implications of unemployment insurance. Employment
A Slippery Slope : The Opportunities and Risks of Digital Approaches and Technology in Social Protection Systems pmassetti worldbank.org (31.01.2025) Advances in technology have the potential to enhance social protection services delivery but come with risks, such as data privacy concerns, exclusion, and biases. To use digital technologies effectively, strong frameworks, infrastructure, and capacity are essential. Without these, technology may inadvertently harm rather than benefit the intended populations. Technology can improve access, outreach, training, monitoring, and secure payments, among others, but risks must be managed by clearly defining roles and responsibilities among stakeholders. Hence, policymakers must understand challenges and define processes before selecting technology, viewing it as a tool to complement, not replace, non-digital services. Therefore, technology should support human resources in social protection programs, and aligning innovation with effective safeguards can maximize its potential for equitable and responsible outcomes. Technological transition
What role can health mutuals and community-based health insurance play in social health protection systems? pmassetti ilo.org (03.02.2025) At the global level, mutuals primarily focus on providing complementary or supplementary coverage to basic health schemes. Only a small number of countries incorporate mutuals and community-based health insurance (CBHI) into the architecture of their basic health coverage systems. This working paper explores various country experiences where mutuals and CBHI contribute to basic health coverage within national social protection systems. Despite a wealth of literature on mutuals and CBHI, little is known about the practical methods used to integrate them into national social health protection architectures. Mutual benefit societies
Warsaw sets sights on European digital health revolution pmassetti Euractiv (03.03.2025) Poland intends to use its presidency to promote European solutions in digital healthcare transformation while working towards establishing common standards for medical data at the EU level. Along with healthcare digitalisation, prevention, mental health and combating disinformation were also discussed. Healthcare digitalisation in Poland is an area that may be of interest to the European Union. We have good solutions we can promote internationally, emphasised Deputy Minister of Health Katarzyna Kacperczyk during the conference, highlighting Poland's successes in this field. Health poland
Artificial intelligence in public health: promises, challenges, and an agenda for policy makers and public health institutions pmassetti The Lancet Public Health (23.03.2025) Artificial intelligence (AI) can rapidly analyse large and complex datasets, extract tailored recommendations, support decision making, and improve the efficiency of many tasks that involve the processing of data, text, or images. As such, AI has the potential to revolutionise public health practice and research, but accompanying challenges need to be addressed. AI can be used to support public health surveillance, epidemiological research, communication, the allocation of resources, and other forms of decision making. It can also improve productivity in daily public health work. Core challenges to its widespread adoption span equity, accountability, data privacy, the need for robust digital infrastructures, and workforce skills. Artificial intelligence
Pensions vs earnings across Europe: The highest and lowest comparisons pmassetti Euronews (13.02.2025) In many European countries, pension income is significantly lower than pre-retirement earnings from work. This makes it difficult for many older people to maintain their standard of living after retirement. Nearly one in six pensioners are at the risk-of-poverty in the EU, with the rate increasing from 12% in 2013 to 15.5% in 2023. So, how do pensions compare to pre-retirement work income across Europe? In which countries do pensioners receive the highest and the lowest share of their late-career work earnings?  Eurostat's Aggregate Replacement Ratio evaluates the effectiveness of pension systems in enabling older people to maintain their standard of living after retirement.  Pensions Europe
Singapore. Rethinking ageing: From caregiving to community and contribution pmassetti pensionpolicyinternational.com (17.02.2025) Caring for an elderly loved one might not be on your radar right now, but it’s a role many of us will take on eventually. “Almost all of us in Singapore will be, or already are, a caregiver,” Mr Dinesh Vasu Dash, CEO of the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), observed. When his childless, widowed paternal uncle, now in his mid-80s, was hospitalised with a severe bout of influenza A, it was Mr Dinesh’s parents – both in their 70s – who stepped in. They accompanied him to medical appointments, encouraged him to eat despite his poor appetite and ensured he had everything he needed for recovery. This scenario reflects a growing trend in Singapore. With an average life expectancy of 84.9 years, more caregivers are now seniors themselves. While they may face physical challenges, such as helping bedbound loved ones, many have more time to dedicate to caregiving due to retirement or reduced work commitments. Long-term care, Old-age pensions singapore
Confronting the consequences of a new demographic reality pmassetti mckinsey.com (15.01.2025) Exploring the implications of a new demographic reality brought on by falling fertility and increasing longevity. Pensions, Policy analysis
India: Gig workers may soon get pension benefits via EPFO pmassetti The Economic Times (06.02.2025) The Ministry of Labour and Employment is set to introduce a policy granting pension benefits to gig and platform workers through the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation. This will supplement the existing health cover under PM Jan Aarogya Yojana. The pension plan, funded by aggregators, aims to provide financial security for gig workers, recognizing their significant contribution to the services economy. digital platforms Platform workers india
Digitalisation in Social Protection: Lessons from Azerbaijan pmassetti Development Pathways (11.02.2025) The global shift towards digitalisation is revolutionising social protection information systems, including those in low- and middle-income countries. Gone are the days of inefficient paper-based processes: digital technologies are now indispensable for enhancing efficiency, minimising errors, and enabling data-driven decision-making. Emerging technologies like generative AI are accelerating this transformation. Azerbaijan is leading the way among middle-income countries with its exemplary digitalisation initiatives in social protection. As illustrated in Figure 1, and discussed below, its digital and integrated information system eco-system is anchored in three powerful components. E-services, Technological transition azerbaijan
Concerns grow in South Korea over sustainability of national pension amid plunging subscribers in aging society pmassetti The Korea Times (09.02.2025) The number of national pension subscribers continues to decline due mainly to the low birthrate and aging population, data from the National Pension Service (NPS) showed Sunday, raising concerns over its sustainability. In contrast, the number of recipients is increasing, pushing the current national pension system toward a risk of fund depletion. But discussions on ways to make the pension system more sustainable have been delayed. Pensions korea, Republic of
Strengthening mental health in the WHO European Region in 2024: a year in review pmassetti who.int (04.02.2027) The year 2024 saw the Mental Health Flagship, under the Division of Country Health Policies and Systems at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, make inroads in more sustainable and accessible mental health systems through four key areas: policy, services, data collection and stigma reduction. It marked the third year of the pan-European Mental Health Coalition and second year of the Addressing mental health challenges in the European Union (‎EU)‎, Iceland and Norway project, funded by the European Union. Through these initiatives, the Flagship cemented important partnerships and built country capacity in implementing evidence-based policy, protecting the human rights of people with lived experience of mental health conditions, and supporting the mental health of health and care workers. This report provides a snapshot of the Flagship’s activities for 2024. Health Europe
Chile's Congress approves reform to private pension system pmassetti Reuters (29.02.2025) Chile's Congress approved a reform to the country's controversial private pension system on Wednesday, clearing the way for the bill to be signed by President Gabriel Boric. With 110 votes in favor and 38 against, the reform includes increased employer contributions, raises the guaranteed minimum pension and modifies the country's private Chile's Pension Fund Administrators (AFP) system. Pension reform was a key campaign promise by Boric, who rode a wave of left-wing optimism to the presidency following mass protests against inequality.
Greece Moves to Digitize Pension Records in Effort to Speed Up Payments - Dnews pmassetti As part of this modernization effort, EFKA is upgrading its ATLAS pension allocation system by digitizing paper records from 1980 onwards across all primary and supplementary insurance funds.
Including those in need, when they need it: Why dynamic social registries matter in shock-prone contexts like the Sahel pmassetti worldbank.org (29.01.2025) The Sahel is faced with increasingly frequent and severe interconnected shocks, particularly those related to climate change and conflict, exacerbating risks and vulnerabilities to poverty, food insecurity, inequality, and low levels of human capital. To effectively respond to these crises, governments require systems enabling them to rapidly and accurately identify sudden changes in household welfare. A new study supported by the Sahel Adaptive Social Protection Program (SASPP), explores how dynamic social registries, as essential delivery systems, can play this role, effectively assessing changes in welfare among poor and vulnerable populations, those affected by climate change, and forcibly displaced groups. poverty Service delivery, Shocks & extreme events Africa
India: Government to Provide ID Cards and Security for Gig Workers pmassetti thedailyguardian.com 801.02.20259 Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget 2025 speech, announced that the government will issue ID cards to gig workers. These workers will also get healthcare benefits through a social security scheme. Moreover, the government will invest in street vendors, urban workers, and online platform workers to improve their financial security. digital platforms Extension of coverage, Platform workers india