oecd (21.09,2023) This paper analyses the association of labour market outcomes and family policies with fertility trends between 2002 and 2019 in 26 OECD countries. While the average age of mothers at birth of their children continued to increase over the entire period, these years have been marked by an initial catching-up of total fertility rates after marked declines in previous decades. Furthermore, after peaking in 2008, total fertility rates declined substantially, fueling concerns about demographic, economic and fiscal implications.

reuters.com (25.09.2023) A report by rights group ActionAid released earlier this year showed that gig work algorithms discriminated against women who were “unable to respond as quickly or work as many hours as men because of unpaid care responsibilities”. The report, citing a survey of more than 5,000 gig workers in 15 countries, also showed that women tend to work fewer hours than men - contributing to a wage gap - as safety concerns lead many to shun work that falls after dark or in risky locations

europa.eu (21.08.2023) A new toolkit from the European Network of Public Employment Services (PES Network) provides a practical guide, with concrete examples, for how PES can use more customer-centred approaches in the delivery of their services.

brookings.edu (12.09.2023) The platform gives local leaders the ability to match gig workers with tailored work opportunities, and gives gig workers the ability to control who they gig for, when, and for how much—all while ensuring they have critical rights, benefits, and protections. Our initial pilot demonstrated higher hourly wages and worker satisfaction. It’s an example of how worker-centered innovation and experimentation can help us figure out how to make gig work good—and thereby make the economy more fair and inclusive for everyone. 

worldbank.org (07.09.2023) Good, inclusive jobs provide the surest path out of extreme poverty, while boosting shared prosperity for all. But as new technologies transform our global economies, we must expand our way of thinking about job opportunities in the developing world.  The online gig economy, in which digital platforms match workers to tasks posted by clients already accounts for up to 12 percent of the global labor market.

europa.eu (06/09/2023) The Commission has proposed the introduction of a European Disability Card as well as the enhancement of the current European Parking Card for persons with disabilities. Both cards will be recognised all across the EU and make it easier for persons with disabilities to travel across the European Union.

europa.eu (07.09.2023) One year ago the European Commission presented the European Care Strategy. One year after, several actions were launched to ensure high-quality affordable and accessible care services and to improve the situation of care providers. This was done in close cooperation with Member States, social partners, and stakeholders.

European Commission (06.09.2023) the Commission has proposed concrete steps to further digitalise the coordination of social security systems in Europe, in a dedicated Communication. The communication lays out actions to make access to social security services quicker and simpler across borders by making full use of digital tools, reducing administrative burden for citizens and business. This will improve the exchanges of information between national social security institutions and speed up the recognition and granting of eligible benefits across borders.

worldbank.org (2023-07-24) Jobs are crucial for individual well-being. They provide a livelihood and, equally important, a sense of dignity. They are also crucial for collective well-being and economic growth. Over the past decade, technology has fundamentally shifted traditional work patterns, creating new ways in which work is contracted, performed, managed, scheduled, and remunerated.

Institute of Development Studies (30.08.2023) To the international community, Brazil’s record on food security and social protection until relatively recently was exemplary, even enviable. The level of child stunting in Brazil fell from 25% in the mid-1980s to 15% in the mid-1990s and just 5% by the mid-2010s. This is a remarkable success story. Throughout the same 30-year period, the rate of child stunting in South Africa, a country that shares many characteristics with Brazil, remained constant at about 25%.