Rand.org (24.05.2016) Many governments are cutting spending on social welfare programmes, such as unemployment benefits. The UK is scaling back disability benefits and public expenditure more broadly. To look at these questions, a new report by RAND Europe used three decades of data on social expenditure and health outcomes, across 34 countries of the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development.

Zee News (25.05.2016) New Delhi: Government has finally enforced the decision of retirement fund body EPFO to almost double the maximum sum assured under its insurance scheme to Rs 6 lakh for its 4 crore subscribers.

Les Echos (26.05.2016) Il n'est pas improbable qu'une croissance exponentielle des coûts de santé amène à une prise en compte individualisée de certains risques. Associé à l'émergence du numérique, cela va durablement bouleverser le paysage actuel : de nouveaux acteurs vont apparaître et d'autres, historiques, perdre en importance, s'ils ne s'adaptent pas.

adiac-congo.com (26.05.2016) L’atelier national sur la protection sociale organisé du 23 au 24 mai à Kintélé, banlieue de Brazzaville par le ministère des Affaires sociales, de l’action humanitaire et de la solidarité en partenariat avec la Banque mondiale, sur le thème « Construisons une nouvelle protection sociale plus globale et mieux intégrée. » s’est fixé comme objectif l’élaboration d’un programme concerté sur la protection sociale au Congo.

Financial Times (23.05.2016) America’s middle class is losing ground. Wage stagnation, economic insecurity and rising inequality have become the defining issues of the presidential campaign. Yet as politicians search for a response, they must also grapple with the changing nature of employment. The “fight for $15”, the nationwide campaign for a big rise in the federal minimum wage, is of little relevance to the growing numbers working without the traditional relationship of employer and employee in the so-called gig economy.

The Scotsman (26.05.2016) The number of people working beyond retirement age in Scotland has almost doubled since 2004, new Scottish Government statistics show.

The Guardian (25.05.2016) The International Monetary Fund claims to support health, education and welfare programmes. Yet our research shows enforcing fiscal austerity remains its real concern

Le Monde (25.05.2016) L’aide financière – baptisée « option démographique » – actuellement allouée aux médecins pour les attirer dans les déserts médicaux « n’est pas suffisamment attractive ». Tel est le constat dressé par l’Assurance-maladie dans un document, qu’elle doit présenter mercredi 25 mai aux syndicats de praticiens, lors d’une nouvelle séance de négociations pour la future convention – et que l’Agence France-Presse a pu consulter. Pour remédier à la situation, l’organisme souhaite recentrer l’aide versée à ceux qui s’installent dans les zones sous-dotées à travers une somme forfaitaire de 50 000 euros.

TDG (23.05.2016) La nouvelle grille doit, demande Berne, réduire les rentes de situation et ne pas coûter plus cher aux assurés.

TDG (25.05.2016) Après l’échec du congé paternité au parlement, les syndicats lancent leur initiative populaire.

Telquel.ma (23.06.2016) Le retard accusé dans la réforme des retraites accentue chaque année le déficit de la Caisse marocaine de retraite. Il atteindra fin 2016 six milliards de dirhams selon le directeur de l’institution.

WHO (May 2016) Having a skilled health professional during childbirth can save the life of a woman and her child. But, in many parts of the world and within many countries, the presence of a health worker during childbirth is often a luxury. If a woman is poor, she is even more likely to deliver without support, putting herself and child at risk.

ip-watch (23.05.2016) The World Health Assembly opened today with World Health Organization Director General Margaret Chan repeating that this year has a record number of agenda items and over 3,000 participants. She slapped at profit-seeking mechanisms leading to “slow-motion disasters,” which put economic interests above concerns about well-being. In particular, she underlined the lack of research and development for antimicrobial treatments and the rise of chronic non-communicable diseases.

Daily Trust (22.05.2016) The acting managing director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Ismail Agaka, has said that NSITF Act is presently going through the legislative process of amendment at the National Assembly to give clout to execute other aspects of social protection programmes. He said the trust fund has, in this regard, begun aggressive training of its staff in readiness for the expansion of its mandate.

World Bank/News (20.05.2016) In 2011, Tunisia set itself on a new trajectory, peacefully ousting a 30-year dictatorship. In the five years that have followed, Tunisians have passed a new constitution and held democratic elections. Tunisia’s also managed to maintain stability, despite security threats at home and unrest next door in Libya. But, though it’s moved forward politically, social inequity inside it persists, with little progress on the sort of economic reforms needed to address the underlying roots of the country’s democratic uprising.

thehindubusinessline.com (22.05.2016) Health insurance for alternative treatments like Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (Ayush) is set to expand with the Centre taking steps to get insurers to develop packages for traditional treatments.

The Guardian(23.05.2016) The reluctance of doctors to work in remote rural areas has set back healthcare in India’s villages, but a public-private partnership in Rajasthan aims to fix that

France Antilles (22.05.2016) Emploi : sale temps pour les seniors et les femmes Mardi 17 mai 2016 Emploi : sale temps pour les seniors et les femmes Le chômage a très légèrement reculé en 2015. Mais les demandeurs d'emplois seniors, notamment les femmes, ne profitent pas de l'embellie, bien au contraire.

Tribune de Genève (08.05.2016) Pour rétablir l'équilibre de son financement, le patron de Swiss Life Patrick Frost préconise une nette baisse du taux de conversion et une hausse significative de l'âge de départ à la retraite.

adiac-congo.com (18.05.2016) Le système de sécurité sociale actuellement en vigueur au Congo prend en charge uniquement les agents de l’Etat et les travailleurs du secteur privé. C’est ainsi que le gouvernement a pris l’engagement d’étendre la protection sociale dans ses aspects de base dans l’ensemble de la population. Dans une interview exclusive aux Dépêches de Brazzaville, l’Administrateur de MAD Invest, Christian Maniongui, revient sur les résultats des études menées par son cabinet sur l’assurance maladie et présentés récemment aux autorités congolaises.

EurActiv.com (19.05.2016) A growing number of Europeans are living in “relative poverty”, the UN labour agency said Wednesday (18 May), warning that a lack of quality jobs worldwide was threatening to undo decades of progress in poverty reduction.

China Business Review (06.05.2016) Rising labor costs in China are setting off alarms with foreign investors because of increasing minimum wages and living standards, as well as the extensively developed social security system. However, as the central government exerts pressure to maintain economic growth targets, the cost of employees’ welfare benefits has been substantially reduced.

Ilo.org (May 2016) This report shows that decent work is paramount in the fight to reduce poverty. One key finding is that poverty has tended to decline in many emerging and developing countries, whereas it has tended to increase in the majority of advanced economies, including in terms of working poverty.
The report also examines the role that policy can play, documenting country initiatives focused on job-centred economic policies, employment programmes, enterprise development, social protection and social dialogue.

BBC News (18.05.2016) The cash of millions of pension savers will be better protected, under plans announced alongside the Queen's Speech.

Reuters (18.05.2016) When cigarette smokers quit, societal healthcare costs immediately plunge, a new study shows.