blogs.worldbank.org (September 2019) Without risk, there’s little reward. This is the gist of dozens of quotes attributable to such notable figures as John F. Kennedy and Yo-Yo Ma, Paulo Coelho and Rihanna. Their maxims on life hold true for markets. How can policy help people – particularly people living in poverty or vulnerable to impoverishment who arguably have the most to lose – take risks and reap greater rewards?  

adb.org (August 2019) Millions of Asia’s informal workers – such as vendors, day laborers, and others – are left out of national pension systems. Here’s what we can do to help them in their later years.

Policy Forum (19.09.2019) Ten years on from the historic announcement of Australia’s paid parental leave scheme, it is time for policymakers, experts, industry, and government to reflect on further improvements to support Australian families, Belinda Townsend writes.

lemonde.fr (02.06.2019) Le Kenya va tester cette année la plus large expérience de revenu universel jamais menée, une idée qui a été expérimentée sous de nombreuses formes depuis trente ans.

RTE (19.09.2019) A new clampdown on social welfare fraud will include increased inspections and penalties for employers who falsely claim that workers are self-employed. The practice estimated to cost the exchequer up to up to a quarter of a billion euro per year.

Le Temps (19.09.2019) La Suisse est dépassée par l’Islande à l’indice global des retraites calculé par Natixis et CoreData. Elle perd des points notamment en raison de la détérioration des «conditions matérielles» des personnes âgées, même si elle est en tête à l’aune des critères environnementaux

The New York Times (15.09.2019) Companies like Uber are hitting the turbulence of government regulation, worker resistance and labor market reality.

finance.yahoo.com (16.09.2019) The "10th International Conference on the Prevention of Accidents at Work" will take place in Vienna, Austria, from 23 to 26 September 2019. It is organised by the Austrian Workers' Compensation Board (AUVA).

Philippine News Agency (09.09.2019) The country’s chief economist expects the implementation of the national identification (ID) system to improve the targeting of beneficiaries of social protection program meant to uplift the lives of the poor.

La Tribune (12.09.2019) Le nombre de travailleurs pauvres a bondi de 181.000 entre 2016 et 2017 selon les derniers chiffres de l'Insee. Au total, ils seraient 2,1 millions contre 1,9 million un an auparavant.

 WIRED (11.09.2019) A bill passed by California lawmakers Wednesday could put guardrails on the gig economy and its reliance on “independent contractors.” The legislation, Assembly Bill 5, may reshape the way some of the state’s marquee companies—including Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash—as well as many janitorial services, truckers, and musicians do business.

ReliefWeb (11.09.2019)  In recent years, forcibly displaced populations have attracted enormous media attention as an increasing number of disasters and political conflicts push more and more people to move away from their homes and seek refuge and opportunities in other places. At the same time, political nervousness about the financial and institutional capability of ‘receiving’ locations to adequately respond to the needs of these large-scale population movements contributes to the shrinking space for thinking about the rights and needs of people on the move.

Social Europe (11.09.2019) The Nordic countries, with their strong public spheres, are more supportive than those which elevate the family as a private institution.

This publication provides updates on Social Protection Indicators of 24 countries in Asia, with an analysis of 2015 data on social protection programs.

Le Temps (12.09.2019) Le modèle du congé parental, entré trop tardivement dans le débat en commission, n’a pas fait le poids face au congé paternité. Le Conseil national opte pour une solution minimaliste, rejetant aussi l’initiative de Travail.Suisse

Le Figaro (04.09.2019) Pour le magistrat, les résultats de la dernière mission d’enquête parlementaire sur la fraude sociale sont particulièrement inquiétants. On y apprend notamment que l’administration comptabilise officiellement 3,1 millions de centenaires réputés en vie, alors que le dernier recensement en dénombrait... 21 000.

irishexaminer (11.09.2019) Irish men receive an average of €153 more than women in their pension payments, according to research by the Economic and Social Research Unit (ESRI). The study found the average total weekly pension income in 2010 was €280 for women and €433 for men, indicating a gender pension gap of approximately 35%.

indiatimes.com (06.09.2019) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the farmers’ pension scheme Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY) from Ranchi on September 12 with a subscriber base of more than one million.

EurActiv (09.09.2019) In 2016, the deaths of 1.2 million Europeans under 75 were considered premature and could have been prevented, according to a report by Eurostat. EURACTIV’s partner Ouest-France reports.

EuroWHO (September 2019) This issue of Eurohealth provides interesting oversight of the key issues surrounding the digitalization of health systems and how together, we can leverage the benefits of digital health.

blogs.adb.org (Aug 2019) Millions of Asia’s informal workers – such as vendors, day laborers, and others – are left out of national pension systems. Here’s what we can do to help them in their later years.

french.china.org Le Chef du gouvernement Saâd Dine El Otmani s'est félicité jeudi de l'application des décrets de généralisation de la couverture sociale et de santé pour les professions libérales et les indépendants non salariés. "Nous sommes heureux de la mise en application des dispositions de la loi relative à l'assurance maladie obligatoire, qui date de 2005, soit 14 ans après sa promulgation", s'est-il exprimé à l'ouverture des travaux du Conseil de gouvernement

sdg.iisd/news (03.09.2019) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has published progress reports on social protection indicators for 24 countries in Asia and 13 in the Pacific. The two sub-regional reports analyze 2015 data on social protection programmes, building on the Social Protection Index previously developed by the ADB. Each report updates the results of analyses conducted in 2016, which were based on 2012 data for the region. The publications focus on spending for social protection, including insurance, assistance and active labor market programs. The analyses include social protection coverage and benefit size, poverty and gender dimensions of spending, and changes between 2009 and 2015. The Social Protection Indicator (SPI) assesses these metrics, and is used by governments, international organizations, civil society and academia to monitor the quality and scope of social protection in the region

socialeurope (04.09.2019) While many were enjoying the summer break, Spanish courts were busily setting an example for the social protection of platform workers. Three recent judgments confirmed that Deliveroo ‘riders’ have in fact an employment relationship with the platform and should be considered as workers, not self-employed.

Reuters (27.08.2019) Japan’s government unveiled estimates on Tuesday that showed public pension benefits steadily declining during coming decades, as it prepares to open up a debate on social security reforms needed to support an aging population.