Nasdaq (13.08.2023) India plans to roll out welfare measures for "gig" workers employed through platforms like Amazon, Uber and India's Zomato as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government prepares for elections, government and trade union officials said. The plan, part of the Social Security Code enacted in 2020, could include accident, health insurance and retirement benefits, said a senior government official with direct knowledge of the plan.

euromed-economists.org (July 2023)  This policy paper delves into the importance of robust social protection systems in promoting dignity and security for all individuals. Focusing on Egypt, Tunisia, and Lebanon, the paper examines the current landscape of formal and informal social protection mechanisms. It identifies challenges and presents policy recommendations, with a particular emphasis on the development of Micro-social Protection Programme schemes (MSPP). By enhancing social protection programmes, this paper aims to ensure comprehensive support for vulnerable populations and foster inclusive and sustainable development in the region.

orfonline.org (08.08.2023) By taking a gender-transformative and a rights-based entitlement approach, this Policy Brief stresses the importance of investing in the care economy within the context of COVID-19 recovery plans, the G20 agenda of striving for just and equitable growth, and India’s Vision 2047. Ensuring greater gender equality in the distribution of paid and unpaid work can be socially transformative and enhance gross domestic product. This Brief explores inequality within the care economy in India, specifically focusing on the unpaid care work, paid work, and paid care work circles, and their negative impacts. It further describes the challenges and importance of investing in care, with a particular focus on childcare provision. This Brief recommends positioning care as a fundamental pillar of a lifecycle social protection system and economic growth trajectories, with investment in the provision of care services as a public good provided by the state.

ec.europa.eu (27.07.2023) Undeclared work has important economic and social implications, including the loss of social security contributions and taxes, but also higher incidence of work accidents, missed professional development opportunities for workers, unfair competition and market distortions for businesses, among others. The European Commission launched this study to gather deeper insights into, and empirical evidence of, successful policies and policy combinations for tackling undeclared work. This study reviewed empirical evidence across the full range of direct and indirect policy measures, including their potential effectiveness in transforming undeclared work into declared work.

oecd-ilibrary.org (11.07.2023) The 2023 edition of the OECD Employment Outlook examines the latest labour market developments in OECD countries. It focuses, in particular, on the evolution of labour demand and widespread shortages, as well as on wage developments in times of high inflation and related policies. It also takes stock of the current evidence on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the labour market. Progress in AI has been such that, in many areas, its outputs have become almost indistinguishable from that of humans, and the landscape continues to change quickly, as recent developments in large language models have shown. This, combined with the falling costs of developing and adopting AI systems, suggests that OECD countries may be on the verge of a technological revolution that could fundamentally change the workplace. While there are many potential benefits from AI, there are also significant risks that need to be urgently addressed, despite the uncertainty about the short- to medium-term evolution of AI. This edition investigates how to get the balance right in addressing the possible negative effects of AI on labour market outcomes while not stifling its benefits.

orfonline.org (15.07.2023) The increasing need for an extensive social safety net has prompted most countries to launch new social protection measures or reframe existing ones. The G20’s Development Working Group emphasises the importance of effective social protection systems in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to enable the poor to contribute to mainstream economic activity. Taking a cue from this and learning lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and recent developments in social protection, this policy brief examines whether existing social protection policies should be rethought and redesigned to respond to the challenges of the contemporary ‘polycrisis’ world, while also striving for more cost-effective and impactful approaches. The brief suggests a greater role for the G20 in supporting an enhanced global social protection agenda, ensuring coordination among its members in promoting these approaches, and mobilising resources, including through the expansion of development cooperation support to other non-G20 countries to expand and sustain robust national social protection initiatives as part of the overall SDGs implementation efforts.

Journal of Social Policy, Social Change and Development (2023) The result of the study implies that both countries have made significant efforts to support individuals and businesses affected by the pandemic. Their policy responses differ in terms of scope, implementation, and outcome. Norway's policy response has been characterized by a significant expansion of its welfare state, including the provision of financial assistance to individuals, businesses, and local governments. In contrast, Japan's policy response has been more targeted and focused on supporting specific sectors and vulnerable groups, such as small and medium-sized enterprises and low-income households.

An overview of the key features of the ambitious reforms which fundamentally reshape the social protection landscape in Oman.

wtwco.com (30.06.2023) Facing an aging population, low birth rate and increased life expectancies, Uruguay’s government acts to shore up its social security retirement system through sweeping reforms.

Benefits Canada.com (06.07.2023) Amid the growing gig economy, as well as workers’ calls for increased flexibility and a volatile labour market, there’s increasing demand for portable benefits. Specifically, portable benefits can provide inclusive wellness supports and access to pensions for all workers; support newcomer integration; remove barriers to employment for people who receive social assistance and are at risk of losing government-provided benefits upon acceptance of a job offer; and help ensure women, who often face more career interruptions than men, have enough money in retirement.

oecd (Jul 2023) This study sets out a conceptual framework to analyse the impact of climate change and greenhouse gases mitigation efforts on the labour market, migration flows and people’s health, as well as the most important policy levers that can cushion potential negative impacts and maximise opportunities from the climate transition.

OECD (Jul 2023) This study provides an in-depth examination of the fiscal and governance decentralisation of long-term care (LTC) across OECD countries, offering projections of future fiscal burdens of LTC spending across levels of government. With rapid population ageing and a decrease in the supply of informal care, LTC spending has increased significantly. The paper introduces a novel methodology to estimate LTC expenditures across different government levels, including central and subnational governments. By analysing country cases, it explores the responsibilities assigned to each government level and the implications for service delivery and intergovernmental coordination. The study also discusses the overall anticipated increase of LTC expenditure to 2.3% of GDP by 2040, identifying the most impacted countries. This research contributes to our understanding of LTC systems, highlights the challenges of increasing LTC costs and provides insights for optimising governance and fiscal expenditure.

ilo.org (29.06.2023) The International Labour Organization (ILO), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation , has launched a new series of policy briefs examining trends and issues in youth employment, including the impact of COVID-19 in seven sub-Saharan African countries. A webinar on youth employment and school-to-work transitions in Africa , organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO)  and in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, and YouthForesight , provided the platform for the launch of the country briefs and a cross-country review of youth employment, school-to-work transition and the impact of COVID-19 on youth labour market outcomes in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Uganda.

The digital platform observatory is a joint initiative of ETUC, IRES and ASTREES, funded by the European Commission. It brings together trade unionists, experts, activists, specialists of workers representation and collective action in the  platform economy.

oecd.org (June 2023) This report presents an in-depth cross-country analysis of how long-term care workers fare along the different dimensions of job quality. In the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the applause for care workers was a clear expression of the strong recognition of their hard work and exposure to risks in their job. However, as the applause faded after the peak of the crisis, questions have re-emerged about how to improve the working conditions of long-term care workers in a sustainable way. Over the coming decades, the demand for these workers will increase substantially. Several countries are already facing shortages as the large baby-boom generation joins the older population. To go Beyond Applause, a comprehensive policy strategy is needed to tackle poor working conditions and insufficient social recognition of long-term care work, attract workers in the sector and avoid labour shortages reaching unacceptable levels. Such a strategy should cover several dimensions, with different priorities across countries depending on their specific context, including: direct interventions to raise wages and increase staff requirements; increasing public financing and fostering the leading role by governments; supporting collective bargaining and social dialogue; strengthening training; increasing use of new technologies; and, strengthening health prevention policies.

This book documents the results and impact of the Social Protection Support Initiative at the UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office. The initiative has been instrumental in advancing the development of evidence-based social protection policies in the region. It was devised with the intention of strengthening the amount of available evidence in the East Asia and Pacific region and has resulted in more than 70 research papers in 23 countries in six regions by the end of the initiative. The book presents a selection of those studies and explores the connection between research and policy development. It is written by individuals who have been actively involved in social protection programmes in their respective countries, including UNICEF staff, researchers, and government officials. It represents UNICEF’s contribution to enhancing the body of available evidence in the East Asia and Pacific region, where there has traditionally been less evidence generated on social protection compared to other regions such as Latin America or Africa. This collection of articles is directed towards readers who are interested in understanding the impact of social protection policies on children's lives and well-being, and the significance of evidence in shaping those policies.

pensionpolicyinternational.com (19.06.2023) A growing number of pension savers would like to see the oil sector completely excluded from their pension fund’s investments. Some 21 per cent of pension savers say they want oil to be axed from their pension, according to a survey from online pension provider PensionBee. This has jumped from 15 per cent of pension savers last year. Alongside oil, the main investments people want excluded from their pensions are companies contributing to deforestation, habitat destruction and predatory lending. Pension savers also believe alcohol and gambling investments pose long-term financial risks to their pension.

UNICEF India (May 2023) This document aims to present a selection of case studies from India and other countries showing how Shock-Responsive Social Protection approaches have been used in response to disasters and shocks, including climate change induced risks and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Shock-Responsive Social Protection can contribute to strengthening disaster risk management along the four key priorities of the Sendai Framework

Gigpedia provides an overview of available information about the global platform economy. You will find information about existing legislation, court cases and ratings of labour standards for specific platforms. The data at Gigpedia was collected by leading research organisations in the field, including WageIndicator, Fairwork and Leeds Index of Platform Labour Protest. This includes Platform Labour Ratings, Platform Case Studies, Repository of Court Cases and Platform Economy News.

New regulations in Singapore will mean some of Asia’s largest fintechs will have to comply with stricter new rules on supporting their gig economy staff. But across the industry worldwide, these employees are missing out on vital access to financial services. Under the new rules, to be implemented from 2024, staff working for the likes of ride-hailing firms Grab and its competitor Gojek will be required to provide pension support and compensation for accidents that happen while working. There are currently more than 73,000 gig economy workers in Singapore. Jeremy Baber, CEO of UK-based prepayment card company Lanistar, says there is a need for greater reform and support for gig economy workers. “There are pros and cons to the gig economy. Obviously, for the individual, that assumed freedom to work when and where they want provides great flexibility, but it comes at a cost,” he says. “We have all seen in the press the varied levels of payment for their service and the lack of basic protection, such as sick pay and maternity pay. There is a fundamental need to balance the benefits to ensure this sector thrives.” 

Among the wide range of possible roles of social insurance, this report aims to explore the potential of social insurance schemes in addressing climate risk and minimizing the impacts of related shocks in Indonesia.

worldbank.org (June 2023) Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, limited work opportunities and low-productivity informal work have played a significant role in increasing poverty and vulnerability in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. While job creation depends on a dynamic, competitive, and vibrant private sector, the new World Bank report, Built to Include: Reimagining Social Protection Systems in the Middle East and North Africa, argues that strong social protection policies are also essential to reducing labor market exclusion by facilitating access to productive employment, protecting workers, and providing a safety net for people that are left behind. However, according to the report, social protection policies in MENA countries are falling short of that role. For example, most of the poor do not receive income support, and most workers are not covered by pensions or unemployment insurance, while labor policies provide limited effective protection to workers and do little to help people gain good jobs. To address these challenges, the report identifies reform priorities to make social protection systems in MENA more inclusive and efficient, including building shock-responsive delivery systems for social protection, expanding income support and opportunities for the poor, expanding social insurance to informal workers, re-designing pension systems to support active ageing, reforming generalized food and energy subsidies, and mobilizing additional revenue for social protection in a progressive manner. But in order to ensure success, garnering political support through clear and consistent communication will be vital, as will the proper packaging and sequencing of reforms.

ids.ac.uk (01.06.2023) The Covid-19 pandemic has re-emphasised the need to ensure equitable access to safe, effective and affordable health services. The very rapid shift to the use of smartphone apps and telephone consultations (telemedicine) has highlighted the potential impact of digital innovations on the capacity of health services to meet this need. It is time to take digital health seriously. In 2021, The Lancet and the Financial Times published a report by a commission of experts entitled Governing health futures 2030: growing up in a digital world. It describes the many ways that digital technologies are affecting health and access to health services (Kickbusch et al. 2021). The report emphasises the changing inter-relationships between the health and digital technology sectors and makes the case for effective governance of digital health. It outlines measures that can be taken to influence the speed and direction of change, with the aims of building trust and ensuring that the needs of poor and vulnerable people are met. Its focus is on global trends and global responses. This report complements that document by focusing on actions that LMICs can take to ensure that digital innovations contribute to their strategies for improving health and access to health services.

The Korea Times (14.06.2023) Income inequality in Korea is likely to accelerate due to a rapidly aging population, according to a report released by the Bank of Korea (BOK) on Wednesday. The report revealed that income inequality among households has worsened by 30 percent over the past 25 years, largely as a result of the aging population. "The aging population is expected to have a significant negative impact on the Korean economy, not only by lowering labor productivity and increasing the burden of care, but also by widening economical inequality," the report noted. Income inequality among those aged over 60 is found to be significantly higher than other age groups. This is because holding assets tend to play a crucial role among individuals over 60, as they see a drastic decrease in earned income after retirement. Korea became an aging society in 2000 when the population aged 65 and over exceeded 7 percent of the total population. The aging trend has accelerated since then, and it is expected that by 2025 one out of five people in the country will be 65 or older.