vrt.be (13.01.2025) Unions are today taking action in defence of pension rights. The five parties negotiating a new federal government want to save cash on pensions. A major reform is inevitable, says formateur Bart De Wever (Flemish nationalist/N-VA). Teachers and NMBS staff fear they will have to work longer ultimately for lower pensions. What are the measures on the table?

thesun.ng (23.12.2024) The National Pension Commission (PenCom) is targeting inclusion of over 20 million contributors in its Micro Pension Scheme as part of its plans to overhaul and expand the commission’s landscape. The commission said the overhauling of the Micro Pension Plan (MPP) was part of a broader strategy to increase financial inclusion and extend pension coverage to more Nigerians, particularly in the informal sector.

theconversation.com (20.12.2024) The state pension age in the UK is currently 66. Yet 9.5% of people aged 66 and older (1.12 million people) were still working, according to the most recent data from the UK’s Annual Population Survey (July 2023 to June 2024). This figure has been rising over the past decade, increasing from 8.70% (880,000 people) in July 2013 to June 2014. We think of retirement as a time to pursue hobbies, relax and enjoy the fruits of our labour. So why then, are so many people still working beyond retirement age, and who are they?

IFPRI (18.12.2024) In 186 countries worldwide, cash transfer programs are the cornerstone of social protection, outnumbering social security or pension plans. These offer critical financial lifelines to vulnerable households, aiming to alleviate poverty by providing steady cash support.

IFPRI (18.12.2024) Egypt’s experience is a case in point. The country’s Takaful cash transfer program has been a vital source of support for millions, but fiscal space is too limited for cash transfers to serve as a solution to poverty (Breisinger, et al. 2023). The hope is that graduating current cash transfer beneficiaries will free up public resources to reach other impoverished households.

African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (Dec 2024) This brief, Advancing Digital Social Protection in Africa through Inclusion and Data Protection, explores strategies to develop inclusive and secure digital social protection (DSP) systems across Africa. DSP systems, which leverage digital tools to deliver social services, present transformative opportunities to address the needs of marginalized populations, including women, informal workers, youth, and migrants.

The evolving nature of work is prompting a global shift towards more adaptable and flexible employment practices. However, NSEs face obstacles due to their unique nature of fluctuating income, instability, and administrative barriers that complicate their inclusion in labor and social protection systems.

jdsupra.com (25.11.2024) Pension systems, designed when populations were younger and life expectancy shorter, are now under immense pressure. To mitigate the impact of an ageing population, governments around the world are starting to implement a raft of measures. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, nations are amending pension laws and updating regulations to adapt to the changing demographics. Let’s delve into the details together to examine how countries are reacting to demographic shifts across countires.

CEPR (29.11.2024) Rapid population ageing is increasing the pressure on public finances to provide adequate support for long-term care recipients. This column compares the impact of diverse social protection measures across 32 OECD and EU countries on poverty rates and out-of-pocket expenses among older adults with care needs. The analysis reveals substantial room for improvement and reforms, with existing systems often unaffordable and badly targeted.

worldbank.org (14.11.2024) The Amen Program is a social assistance initiative in Tunisia that targets the country's most vulnerable citizens with cash transfers, medical services, and economic empowerment opportunities. As of December 2023, the program reached over 333,000 poor households (more than 10% of the population) with monthly cash transfers and more than 620,000 low-income households with free and subsidized healthcare services. Three Tunisians share their positive experience with AMEN, where 54% of cash transfer beneficiaries are women-headed households and more than 156,000 children