worldbank.org (24.09.2025) In the Sahel, vulnerability, poverty, competition over natural resources, and limited economic opportunities have weakened social bonds and fueled conflict, dynamics further exacerbated by climate change. Within this context, social protection emerges as a key tool to strengthen social cohesion by fostering institutional trust, community cooperation, and the relationship between citizens and the state.

who.int (01.09.2025) Digital health technologies (‎DHTs)‎ are becoming an integral part of successful and sustainable health service delivery in every Member State of the WHO European Region. Despite increasing evidence of their impact in optimizing the capability of the health and care workforce, enabling access to health services, and improving patient empowerment and quality of care, the adoption of DHTs by the workforce has been slow and faces significant challenges.

who.int (28.08.2025) In support of Greece’s ongoing long-term care (‎LTC)‎ reforms, this technical brief identifies key gaps in the current quality management system for facility-based/residential care and proposes key pathways for addressing these challenges and driving transformative change in quality management. Drawing on international evidence and national and regional case studies from Europe, the brief outlines key quality standards and proposes indicators for monitoring progress.

worldbank.org (15.09.2025) Scaling up has become a rallying cry of social protection initiatives. The rationale for it is clear: with glaring coverage gaps globally and regionally, including nearly 2 billion people with no access to social protection in low- and middle-income countries, the extension of coverage is a key priority enshrined in an array of national and global commitments. Yet relatively little work has been devoted to examining how scale up happens.

who.int (05.09.2025) This review is part of a series of country-based studies generating new evidence on affordable access to health care (‎financial protection)‎ in health systems in Europe. Financial protection is central to universal health coverage and a core dimension of health system performance. Catastrophic health spending is higher in Italy than in many other European Union countries. It is heavily concentrated in households with low incomes, households in the southern region and households headed by pensioners.

worldbank.org (31.07.2025) This note is part of a collaboration between the World Bank’s development research group (DECRG) and development impact group (DIME) and the Dominican Pension Superintendency (SIPEN), the autonomous agency responsible for supervising the private pension system. The main goal of this collaboration is to leverage the rich administrative data managed by SIPEN to provide insight on the performance of the pension system for policymakers and the public and conduct academic research that can guide pension policy in the DR and beyond.

Investing in care leave and services for a more gender equal world of work

who.int (24.07.2025) The Innovation agenda for public health in the WHO European Region 2025–2030 is a strategic blueprint developed to accelerate transformative innovation across public health systems in the Region. The Agenda responds to converging demographic, epidemiological, environmental and technological challenges that demand urgent, systemic change through innovation. It identifies four high-impact “mega shifts”, each targeting key barriers and opportunities for health innovation.

ilo.org (18.07.2025) This note has been developed to inform the government, social partners and other stakeholders on how social protection systems can play a pivotal role in supporting a just transition in Nigeria.

worldbank.org (09.07.2025) This paper highlights the successes and challenges of international mental health innovations, providing a roadmap for achieving sustainable, rights-based care systems that prioritize the whole-life needs of individuals and communities. The global shift from institutional to community-based mental health care represents a critical evolution in addressing the needs of individuals with mental health conditions.