The Manila Times  (19.02.2018) Investing in the employment of young people is important to poverty reduction and the country’s inclusive economic growth, according to an Asian Development Bank (ADB) Brief. The paper said youth not in employment, education or training (NEET) and slow in school-to-work transition is a challenge in the Philippines and the Southeast Asia and Pacific region.

Aujourd'hui le Maroc (19.02.2018) Le ministère délégué auprès du chef de gouvernement chargé des affaires générales et de la gouvernance et l’Unicef viennent de lancer un appel à consultation pour le recrutement d’un cabinet d’études ou un groupe de consultants. Celui-ci sera ainsi chargé d’établir des scénarios concrets de réforme pour asseoir un système de protection sociale intégré et performant. Il faut rappeler à ce sujet que le Maroc a lancé depuis plusieurs années des programmes pour assurer la protection sociale des catégories les plus vulnérables (INDH, Ramed, Tayssir, Fonds de cohésion sociale, programmes d’insertion professionnelle, institutions d’assistance sociale,…). Ce dispositif est complété par un système contributif de sécurité sociale regroupant les différentes Caisses de retraite, la Caisse nationale de sécurité sociale et la Caisse nationale des organismes de prévoyance sociale.

The world economy has strengthened as lingering fragilities related to the global financial crisis subside. In 2017, global economic growth reached 3 per cent—the highest growth rate since 2011—and growth is expected to remain steady for the coming year.  The improved global economic situation provides an opportunity for countries to focus policy towards longer-term issues such as low carbon economic growth, reducing inequalities, economic diversification and eliminating deep-rooted barriers that hinder development.

There’s a need for better access to medical technology in the region—a forward-looking approach will help companies reach more patients.

More than half the world’s population lives in the Asia–Pacific region, and demand for healthcare there is correspondingly great. Currently, access to quality healthcare—in particular, modern medical technology, or med-tech—is difficult for many patients. Healthcare demand already outstrips supply in Asia–Pacific, and the gap will grow in line with continued increases in income, population, disease burdens, and general awareness of health issues.

A recent McKinsey report, MedTech in Asia: Committing at scale to raise standards of care for patients, explores the challenges med-tech companies face in broadening their reach and identifies strategies that can help bring high-quality products and services to more patients. Companies that overcome obstacles to serving broader patient segments in the region will also unlock rich opportunities.

The region’s healthcare needs reflect its size and growth projections, and the Asia–Pacific med-tech market is expected to rise to about $133 billion a year in 2020, from about $88 billion a year in 2015. (For a visual look at the problems facing healthcare delivery in the Asia–Pacific region, as well as opportunities for global med-tech companies to address the growing demands, download our infographic [PDF–74KB].)

Migration has become a flashpoint for debate in many countries. But McKinsey Global Institute research finds that it generates significant economic benefits—and more effective integration of immigrants could increase those benefits.

Migration is a key feature of our increasingly interconnected world. It has also become a flashpoint for debate in many countries, which underscores the importance of understanding the patterns of global migration and the economic impact that is created when people move across the world’s borders.

A new report from the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), People on the move: Global migration’s impact and opportunity, aims to fill this need.

The country is becoming a hub for global AI development. Five priorities can help China harness AI for productivity growth and prepare for the societal shifts it may unleash.

Artificial intelligence, or the idea that computer systems can perform functions typically associated with the human mind, has gone from futuristic speculation to present-day reality. A new discussion paper from the McKinsey Global Institute, originally presented at the 2017 China Development Forum, explores AI’s potential to fuel China’s productivity growth—and to disrupt the nation’s workforce.

Dec 26, 2017 ANDREW SHENG ,  XIAO GENG

If China is to ensure the continued development of its digital economy, while containing the risks associated with disruption, its leaders will need to implement smart regulations. And that will require careful consideration of the factors that have contributed to – and impeded – its progress so far.

mckinsey.com (august 2017) China is already more digitized than many observers appreciate and has the potential to set the world’s digital frontier in coming decades. China has one of the most active digital-investment and start-up ecosystems in the world, according to a new discussion paper from the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), China’s digital economy: A leading global force. China is in the top three in the world for venture-capital investment in key types of digital technology, including virtual reality, autonomous vehicles, 3-D printing, robotics, drones, and artificial intelligence (AI).

20 Minuten (15.02.2018) Die meisten Stimmbürger finden: Ersetzen Roboter Arbeitnehmer, sollen Unternehmen eine Steuer zahlen. Economiesuisse warnt davor. S elf-Scanning-Kassen, selbstfahrende Autos, elektronische Patientendossiers: Die Digitalisierung ist auf dem Vormarsch. Nun zeigt eine gewichtete Umfrage von Vimentis, dass 51 Prozent der Stimmbevölkerung diese Entwicklung als Chance wahrnehmen. 32 Prozent empfinden die Digitalisierung als Gefahr. Angst davor haben vor allem Frauen, SVP-Wähler und Menschen mit einem tieferen Einkommen und Bildungsstand.

Revista Estrategia & Negocios (18.02.2018) El año pasado el FMI planteó al Gobierno aumentar la edad de jubilación y el número de cotizaciones de los trabajadores como medida para salvar al INSS.

indiatoday (19.02.2018) Adoption of digital technology for better governance has always been central to the Indian governments policy and the country is committed to carrying out reforms in health sector by using it, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said today. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has great potential in improving delivery of healthcare services, he said and stressed on building digital health ecosystem in partnership with private healthcare providers, academia, industry, patient groups and regulatory bodies.

LCI (19.02.2018) Promesse du candidat Macron, l'ouverture de l'assurance-chômage aux salariés démissionnaires est l'une des mesures-phare de la réforme actuellement négociée avec les partenaires sociaux. Le texte, que le gouvernement veut présenter au Parlement avant l'été, n'est pas encore finalisé, mais déjà apparaît une hypothèse forte : tous les salariés ne seront pas tous logés à la même enseigne.

ILO (14.02.2018) When migrant workers leave their home, many encounter abuse and violence on their journey and discrimination once they arrive. This can be because of their status as migrants but also because of their ethnicity, sex, religion, and HIV status. They often struggle to find decent work, which means they can end up in poor living and working conditions, which in turn affects their health. Female migrants are more likely to be vulnerable to exploitation and violence, which exposes them to the risk of HIV and other health issues.

El Cronista (15.02.2018) El déficit estructural de la ANSeS alcanzó el 4,7% del PBI, que sólo se alivia a 2,7% al considerar las transferencias de impuestos coparticipables  Según los datos de 2017, el sistema de seguridad social sólo dispuso de ingresos para cubrir el 60% de su función básica, que es pagar las jubilaciones, pensiones, PAMI y asignaciones familiares, pero no la asignación universal por hijo (AUH), lo que derivó en un déficit estructural de 4,7% del PBI, coincidieron dos informes privados.

socialprotection. (February 2018) his research investigates the barriers which low-income and vulnerable families with children face in accessing poverty-targeted social assistance (Targeted Social Assistance, TSA and the State Child Allowance, SCA2) and special social services. It focuses on children living in households, rather than those residing in institutions. Moreover, with respect to special social services, the study primarily covers children with disabilities and those with limited capacities. The research is undertaken prior to the nationwide rollout of reforms on social assistance which is scheduled from January 2018.

FTAdviser (15.02.2018) Pension switching platform PensionBee has teamed up with a bank to allow savers to manage their pension "like a bank account".As part of a deal with Starling Bank, the platform will be integrated into the bank's app, allowing savers to see their live pension alongside their current account balance. 

Impact Insurance (dec 2017) Since May 2017, the ILO´s Impact Insurance Facility has been working in partnership with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in Ghana. The project aims to expand population coverage of the National Health Insurance Scheme by designing a simplified user-friendly digital renewal process.

Business Insider (14.02.2018) The Legatum Institute, a London-based research institute, released its 11th annual global Prosperity Index in November, a huge survey that ranks the most prosperous countries in the world.

KBC TV Kenya's Watching (11.02.2018) Over 500,000 people will now receive their bi-monthly cash disbursements of Ksh 4000 shillings in March this year. Among the beneficiaries will include old people aged 70 and above, the severely disabled and orphans.

The twentieth century saw the economic rise of Asia through the significant economic rise of the “Asian Tiger” countries (Kojima 2000; UNCTAD 1996). But the twenty-first century has been dubbed the African century (Wikipedia 2016). Tech Crunch, renowned technology media company, recently published an article entitled “The Future Is African” (Nash 2015), which aptly described how Africa is unleashing innovation by combining mobile and Web technology to lead the world in the twenty-first century.

ILO (2015) Due to the global demographic ageing, all countries are challenged by growing long-term care (LTC) needs for older persons. However, these needs are largely ignored and range very low on the policy agendas of most countries.
The neglect of LTC needs is also reflected in the widespread lack of national, regional and global data on coverage and access to related benefits and services. As a result, the impacts of LTC deficits experienced by older persons cannot be evaluated and remain hidden. Further, in the absence of such information, policy makers cannot identify priority areas for political interventions and prepare for the growing LTC demand of older persons in ageing societies.
Against this background, this paper has developed for the first time global estimates on LTC protection of persons aged 65 and over. This study presents these estimates. It is following up on discussions held during the International Labour Conference in 2014 and the ILO Governing Body focusing on demographic change and the care economy.

TDG (12.02.2018) Les Romands en revanche sont opposés à travailler plus longtemps. Ils estiment que les rentes AVS ne sont pas menacées.

Le Figaro (13.02.2018) Pour l'économiste Rémi Bourgeot, les mesures annoncées par l'exécutif ce lundi s'inscrivent dans la continuité de l'accord européen d'octobre sur le travail détaché.

The News Tribune (12.02.2018) They don’t come to us because of their best-laid plans; they show up when there is a crisis.An example of a common family experience is when Mom might have a stroke or other diagnosis that impacts her independence. Maybe she is seen in the hospital and then referred to a skilled nursing facility for rehabilitation.

BBC News (12.02.2018) Around 285,000 couples are eligible every year for shared parental leave, but take-up "could be as low as 2%", the Department for Business said. Around half of the general public are still unaware the option exists, nearly three years after it was introduced, the government said. It now plans to spend £1.5m to better inform parents about the policy.Experts say that as well as a lack of understanding of what is on offer, cultural barriers and financial penalties are deterring some parents from sharing parental leave Around 285,000 couples are eligible every year for shared parental leave, but take-up "could be as low as 2%", the Department for Business said.Around half of the general public are still unaware the option exists, nearly three years after it was introduced, the government said.