cepr.org (21.03.2026) China is undergoing a sharp demographic transition: rapid population ageing, a shrinking labour force, persistently low fertility, and continued urbanisation. Using an overlapping-generations framework, this column shows that the demographic transition is a joint growth and fiscal headwind: the economy slows just as ageing-related spending pressures intensify. A recent retirement age reform mitigates some of the economic and fiscal pressures.

english.scio.gov.cn Chinese officials elaborated on the country s landmark childcare subsidy program at a press conference Wednesday, noting that the subsidy applies equally to first, second, and third children, regardless of household registration, ethnicity or location.  Earlier this week, China announced the nationwide subsidy program offering cash support to families raising children under the age of three, marking a significant step in the government s efforts to ease the cost of childrearing and encourage higher birth rates. Starting January 1, 2025, families with children under th

worldbank.org (18-02-2026) Indonesia’s population is aging, signaling both challenges and opportunities for the nation’s workforce. The old-age dependency ratio, the proportion of elderly to the working-age population, is expected to more than double over the next quarter of a century, from 11.0 percent in 2025 to 22.8 percent in 2050. Higher dependency ratios are associated with lower economic growth, and aging populations can lead to higher medical expenses and a shrinking workforce.

ilo.org (02.03.2026) A new ILO policy brief highlights that gender must be a core consideration in the design and implementation of social health protection schemes.

This article traces the evolution of care in Latin America from concept to political agenda to their institutionalization as national care systems. Rooted in gender equality agendas and supported by sustained feminist mobilization, care agendas in the region have advanced significantly, reframing care as a public good and a right. Latin American countries have pioneered comprehensive care systems—Uruguay’s 2015 law marking the first of its kind—followed by Brazil, Colombia, and proposals in Argentina, Chile, and Mexico.

news.cgtn.com (05.03.2026) China will advance a proactive national strategy in response to population aging, according to the government work report submitted on Thursday to the country's top legislature for deliberation. The report prioritizes elderly care services in rural areas. Minimum basic old-age benefits for rural and non-working urban residents will be raised, and the country's unified national management system for basic old-age insurance funds will be scaled up.

developmentpathways.co.uk (february 2026) Nigeria faces a growing old age poverty risk as most workers, especially in the informal economy, lack reliable pension coverage. In this Perspective, Pietro Bonanome, Social Protection Specialist at Development Pathways, argues that the voluntary Micro Pension Plan and heavily targeted safety-net approach leave a large group of Nigerians without protection. He calls for a phased universal old-age pension, showing that international experience demonstrates such schemes are affordable and effective.

ilo.org(25.02.2026) This Intervention Model aims to provide policymakers and practitioners with succinct practical guidance on how to extend social protection to migrant workers, refugees and other displaced populations so as to protect them against the adverse effects of climate change, while also benefiting from a just transition. The intervention model includes a brief overview of the obstacles, the international legal framework, and a set of proposed policy options based on existing country practices and international labour standards.

cgap.org (February 2026) This Working Paper reviews how different countries have designed pension schemes for informal workers. It focuses on contributory schemes for the “missing middle”: informal workers who have sufficiently stable incomes to save for old age but lack access to suitable pension options. The paper draws upon public documentation and literature on how to target and scale pension schemes for informal sector workers.

theconversation.com (05.02.2026) For nearly three decades, decisions about which medicines the NHS pays for have not been made by ministers, but by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, known as Nice. Its job has been powerful: to act as a check on the pharmaceutical industry by demanding evidence that new drugs are clinically effective and worth the price, protecting NHS budgets from spiralling costs.