UN News (07.02.2022) Opening the session, the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), Liu Zhenmin, argued that the pandemic had highlighted the critical role of social policies.  “The COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated inequalities, and multiple forms of deprivation”, Mr. Zhenmin said, remembering that many countries reacted by instituting emergency measures.  “One key lesson is the importance of universal access to social protection, to enhance economic and food security, in times of crisis”, he said. 

LSE Business Review (11.02.2022)  High automation risk discourages older workers from remaining in employment. In technologically advanced countries such as Finland, generous unemployment benefits to people 59 and over ends up creating a retirement pathway. Simply pushing that age limit back increases the probability that older workers facing higher risk of automation will remain in employment.

thelocal.it (31.12.2021) From Saturday, the single universal child benefit (L’assegno unico e universale) is open for applications and will be distributed from March 1st 2022. The measure forms part of Italy’s overall Budget Law 2022, which has established tax and pension reforms as well as extended some tax breaks for home renovations and help with buying a first home.  The new single allowance replaces a raft of other so-called ‘baby bonuses‘, unifying a series of measures to support families – hence the term ‘unico‘.

Cet espace personnel sera créé automatiquement pour chaque personne couverte par l’Assurance-maladie, centralisant ses informations médicales.

wtwco.com  (24.01.2022) A large majority of the political parties in parliament have agreed on a new model to equalize family leave benefit entitlements between both parents, adopting almost in its entirety a proposal from the two main social partners. The bill required to amend current family leave legislation was submitted to parliament on December 22, 2021.

Project Syndicate (29.12.2021) Even though governments do not provide all pension income in most national systems, they have good reasons to be involved in reform efforts. And one of the best things governments could do is to ensure that workers have the information and financial education they need to make the best decisions about their retirement.

lse.ac.uk (25.01.2022) The concept of a universal basic income has received increased attention since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. But what do the public think about the proposal? Drawing on a new study, Leire Rincón illustrates that a key factor affecting support for a universal basic income is the way it is funded, with more people likely to back the policy if it is funded by increasing taxes for those on higher incomes.

economy2030 (january 2022) The UK is facing a decade of unprecedented economic change as we adjust to a post-Covid-19 economy, a new economic context outside the European Union (EU), and the decarbonisation of the economy.  And the social security system has a key role to play in the years ahead: it is part of the policy toolkit for helping individuals and the economy as a whole deal with a period of enhanced labour market change, but it also needs to address the legacy problems of slow growth in living standards and high inequality.

IPE (31.01.2022) The chief executive officer of the State Pension Fund of Finland (Valtion Eläkerahasto, VER), said the economic conditions brought about by the pandemic will stay with us, and with digitalisation and medicine as the key drivers of this new system, that is where governments need to allocate resources.

Atlantis Press (06.01.2022) Social protection system in Indonesia has played an important role in delivering social assistances to poor households in the past two decades. Literature of digital transformation in Indonesia’s social protection policy is still limited, therefore, this research serves to fill the gap as well as providing general ideas for future research.