socialprotection.org (2021) This note compares the experiences of 53 low- and middle-income countries to identify drivers of timely and large-scale government social assistance responses to COVID-19. The analysis covers cash responses only and focuses on the capacity of the social protection sector and beyond. It compares response times (the first payment date) across countries and analyses their correlation with various potential drivers of timely response, including contextual, legislation and funding, social protection capacity, and service delivery factors.

caixinglobal.com (17.05.2021) China will soon launch a new pilot program for private pension funds as part of efforts to overhaul its strained system for retirement savings.

bloomberg.com (14.05.2021) Australia could chip into the pension funds of eligible workers who take up its 18 weeks of paid parental leave, just not yet, amid criticism the government isn’t doing enough to ensure women are financially secure in retirement.

Indonesia’s GR 37/2021 introduces the country’s first ever unemployment benefit program, which provides cash stipends and training to the unemployed. To be eligible, participants must have participated in the government’s social security programs the Social Security Administrator for Health (BPJS Kesehatan) for healthcare and the Workers Social Security (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan) for pensions. Employers who fail to register their employees to the program have to pay cash compensation to the employee as a lump sum.

lse.ac.uk (10.05.2021) Like other low- and middle-income countries, Colombia introduced changes to its cash transfer programmes so as to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. But without extending and carefully redesigning these programmes, many families and young people will face a precarious future once the pandemic is over,

ec.europa.eu (07.05.2021) Partners have signed up to the three 2030 headline targets set in the Commission’s European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan in a joint Porto Social Commitment.

ec.europa.eu (10.05.2021) The PES Network has added a fresh selection of six national initiatives developed by Public Employment Services (PES) in Europe to the PES Practices database. Take a moment to check out the latest inspiring examples!

ilo.org (20.05,2021) This policy brief introduces the multi-tiered social security systems to enable universal coverage with a focus on families. A coherent and well-designed family support system within the emerging social security system is truly rights-based, fair and equitable proposal; it has a high potential to attract workers to the social insurance system; and it is the most likely to be politically — and therefore financially- sustainable over time.

06.05.2021 (reuters.com)

An allowance of 3,000 dinars (25 euros, $30) will be paid to each citizen who gets a Covid jab before the end of May, in what could be the world's first cash-for-jabs scheme.

pensionpolicyinternational.com (06.05.2021) The Federal Statistical Office (FSO) reported External linkthat in 2019 between 40-50% of people started receiving their pension from their so-called second pillar before the legal retirement age – 65 for men and 64 for women