Asian Development (02.05.2024) These charts illustrate the rapid increases in the population aged 60 and older in Asia and the Pacific and the urgency of addressing long-term care needs in the region. Over the past two decades, life expectancy at age 60 in the region has increased by more than 5 years. But the expected number of years lived in less than full health also increased in most economies. A new harmonized dataset on older persons in nine economies in developing Asia found that  on average, 57% Asians aged over 60 have at least one diagnosed noncommunicable disease (NCD).

These are the most important changes since January 1, 2024: – Expansion of the flexibility of pension payments – Incentives for gainful employment after 65 – Raising the retirement age (now called the reference age) for women to 65 (from January 1, 2025) On September 25, 2022, the Swiss electorate approved the reform package to stabilise the pension scheme. This aims to secure and maintain the level of old-age pensions, ensure the financial balance of the system over the next decade and meet the need for flexibility.

Atlantico.fr (08.05.2024) Abondance de personnes âgées, marché du travail défaillant et manque de flexibilité des systèmes de retraite ... Au Japon et en Corée du Sud, de nombreuses personnes âgées vivent en situation de grande précarité

The Financial Express (02.05.2024) India has made remarkable progress in expanding social security through the groundbreaking Code on Social Security-2020 (CoSS 2020), positioning itself as a pioneer in this field. This legislation stands out for its acknowledgment of platform workers and extending universal social security to them. Furthermore, under India’s leadership, the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration has prioritised the goal of ensuring adequate social protection and decent working conditions for platform workers under the overarching theme of “The Future of Work”.

VoxDev (20.03.24) Evidence from Mauritius shows the consequences of losing a formal job in a labour market characterised by high rates of informal employment are significant. Unemployment benefits help mitigate these effects, while generating only small disincentive effects on labour supply.

NBER (April 2024) Social protection programs have become increasingly widespread in low- and middle-income countries, with their own distinct characteristics to match the environments in which they are operating. This paper reviews the growing literature on the design and impact of these programs. We review how to identify potential beneficiaries given the large informal sector, the design and implementation of redistribution and income support programs, and the challenges and potential of social insurance.

Cash Transfer (CT) programmes can improve maternal and child health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries. However, studies assessing the effectiveness of these programmes on maternal and child health outcomes (MCH), beyond nutritional outcomes and service utilisation, remain inconclusive. We synthesized current empirical evidence on the effectiveness of these programmes in improving MCH outcomes and suggested a framework for reporting such outcomes.

blogs.worldbank.org (23.04.2024) Since its inception, GamSR's data has played a pivotal role in various programs in The Gambia, notably the 'Nafa Quick' initiative, which formed the cornerstone of the Government of The Gambia (GoTG) COVID-19 pandemic response. It swiftly reached 78,422 households in 30 districts, to mitigate the adverse effects of the pandemic on impoverished households. Subsequently, the Nafa (cash transfers) program, aimed at providing cash to the poorest, covered 20 districts and 16,966 households, employing GamSR data for eligibility assessments.

ey.com (17.04.2024) Today, humanity is experiencing a paradigm shift and transitioning to a new era. We live in a world where every person’s well-being – the happiness of the body and mind – is impacted by social environments born of numerous changes, including an aging and increasingly diverse society, changes to how and where we work, and outbreaks of emerging diseases. This changing panorama is raising people’s interest in well-being technology, as well as its value and importance.

SPIAC-B (2024) This Implementation Guide is designed for professionals involved in developing, implementing, and expanding social protection systems, particularly non-contributory schemes, or 'social assistance'. Targeted at national and local government partners, policymakers, social protection authorities, programme managers, social workers, civil society organizations, donors, and the private sector, the guide is also valuable for development and humanitarian agency staff supporting these efforts.