weforum.org (31.03.2022) All 13 Canadian provinces and territories have now signed up to the plan which will also create a national daycare system. 

brookings.edu (27.05.2022) The COVID-19 recession was born out of a public health threat. Thus, unemployment insurance (UI) was meant to insure people against income losses associated not just with involuntary job loss, as in a usual recession, but also with the choice not to work due to the public health risk.

 International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG) (March 2020) Children and adolescents are exposed to a multitude of risks, which have worsened due to the socio-economic repercussions of COVID-19. This emphasises the need to improve the protection of children and adolescents, who already faced greater poverty rates than other age groups before the crisis. This One Pager discusses universal cash transfers in Latin America and the Caribbean.

brookings.edu (03.05.2022) Pension systems around the world faced a “stress test” during the pandemic—what you might call the “pension pandemic paradox.” On the one hand, there was pressure to allow access to pension savings as emergency support during a period of sharp economic downturn. This was understandable, since for many people pension savings are their biggest financial asset. But, in some countries, this turned into unprecedented access beyond immediate emergency needs and put the pension savings system at risk.

oecd.org (March 2022) This document provides an update on the use of job retention (JR) schemes during the COVID-19 crisis until the end of 2021 and takes stock of the different strategies employed by OECD governments to adjust them as the crisis evolved. It provides three key insights. First, since reaching a peak of 20% of employment in April/May 2020 on average across OECD countries, the use of JR support has declined to 1.3% in November/December 2021.

GovInsider (April 2022)  Yet, advancements in healthcare and sanitation standards are helping adults live longer than ever before. Taiwan, in particular, is estimated to become a super-aged society by 2025, with one in five being over 65 years old, said Dr Jenny Su Huey-Jen, President of the National Cheng Kung University (NCKU). To better support the seniors in its population, Taiwan is building a new geriatric hospital. Su shares how this hospital will better provide healthcare services to an ageing population.

Asian Development Bank (April 2022) The brief discusses how an array of tax reforms over time, both in policy and administration, could allow more progressive structures and improved revenue performance. It notes that tax structures could be improved through broader tax bases, especially better inclusion of capital and self-employment income in personal income taxes, allowing more progressive personal income taxation. It also discusses stronger corporate taxation, increased use of property and wealth taxes, and better-designed value-added tax and excises.

Pension Policy International (April 2022) The Japanese government is reportedly discussing plans to expand the coverage of its employee pensions and health insurance programs to all workers in the country. The proposal will be initially handled by a government panel of experts on Japan’s social security system for all generations, The Japan Times reported. In June, Tokyo plans to decide on the direction for the insurance system covering all workers and have it reflected in its honebuto, or basic economic and fiscal policy guidelines.

ESCWA (April 2022)  Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, social protection systems in the Arab region were weak, fragmented, not inclusive, and non-transparent. They were also costly and unsustainable. Underinvestment in these systems and exclusion of vulnerable populations were key challenges. The COVID-19 crisis spotlighted the problems and presented a historic opportunity to address some of the challenges facing social protection systems. Lessons learned in various countries were identified as useful examples for change, in addition to certain innovations.

The Dutch tax authority ruined thousands of lives after using an algorithm to spot suspected benefits fraud — and critics say there is little stopping it from happening again.

worldbank.org (31.03.2022) The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the fundamental role digital ecosystems can play in helping a country to rapidly deliver services and relief to its people, such as healthcare education, and social assistance.

worldbank.org (2022) The Philippines’ experience in implementing the social amelioration program (SAP) in response to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic highlights the pressing need for financial inclusion, especially among the poor. The absence of a national identification (ID) system and low bank account ownership posed a challenge in the delivery of SAP. The Government of the Philippines (GoP) expedited the development and registration for the national ID system (PhilSys) and used the opportunity to facilitate bank account opening.

etui.org (2022) The spread of Covid-19 and the ensuing adoption of lockdown measures have had severe consequences for European labour markets. All EU governments quickly made unprecedented economic and social support available to tackle the consequences of the pandemic. However, these measures – introduced by EU Member States during the pandemic as regards unemployment benefits, sickness benefits and special leave for parents – have not fundamentally improved formal access to social protection schemes for non-standard workers and the self-employed.

Capital News (07.04.2022) The government has allocated Sh146.8 billion to cater for health care services in the 2022/2023 budget. Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yattani says the allocation will go a long way in improving the health care services in the country. “Better health care outcomes depend on the availability, accessibility and capacity of health care workers to deliver quality services anchored on well equipped and provision health care facilities,” he said. Health Care is one of the big four agenda of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.

worldbank.org  (17.11.2021) The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the vulnerabilities of the vast and diverse informal economy as well as the lack of social protection schemes to provide timely support, especially to those in urban areas. To protect vulnerable individuals from shocks and build their resilience, governments in Africa need to expand social registries and develop and implement policies to cover the informal economy by innovative social protection programs.

Pension Policy International ((06.04.2022) On March 30, 2022 the Dutch government submitted draft legislation to reform the Dutch pension system, (the Bill) which is expected to come into effect on January 1, 2023. If the Dutch House of Representatives approves the proposal, it will go to the Senate where it is expected to pass. The deadline for transitioning to the new scheme is January 1, 2027 at the latest. This change will impact every employer with a pension scheme in place.

europa.eu (01.04.2022) With the aim of contributing to the ongoing policy dialogue between the European Commission, Member States and (potential) candidate countries, the European Commission asked the 35 country teams of the European Social Policy Network (ESPN) to look at how the eligibility conditions and benefit entitlements of social protection influence the capacity of young people to access the schemes and to highlight the main gaps and obstacles faced by young people in accessing these schemes.

worldbank.org (31.04.2022) Social protection programs play a key role in helping individuals and families escape poverty, mitigate and manage risks, and improve resilience and opportunity. While the ultimate goal is to reach Universal Social Protection, interventions often need to assist the poorest and most vulnerable populations first when resources are limited. Yet, there is no single targeting method that fits every situation, and context and policy objectives must drive choices, says a World Bank report launched today.

Money Marketing (30.03.2022) Flexi-retirement is becoming increasingly common, as more and more retirees are opting to work part-time in the gig economy. According to a new report from Abrdn, two thirds of people retiring in 2022 do not plan on giving up work completely. This compares to just over half of those who retired in 2021 and a third of 2020 retirees. The report, which surveyed 2,000 UK adults, reveals how the “class of 2022” plan to spend their and money in retirement.

https://www.itu.int(2021) By 2050, the number of people aged 65 years or older is projected to reach 1.5 billion. "Ageing in a digital world - from vulnerable to valuable" is the first- ever report to be produced by ITU to raise awareness in the ICT sector on the importance of being prepared to respond to the needs and requirements of ageing populations. This report addresses the two global megatrends that reinforce each other: the emergence of digital technologies and ageing populations, both of which are predicted to bring about important socio-economic changes worldwide.

Asian Development Review: Volume 39, Number 1 | Asian Development Bank  (march 2022) This issue focuses on demographic change and human capital. It explores types of insurance for older people and considers economic security, education, and health. Among other topics covered are fuel subsidies and insulin prices.

EURACTIV.com (30.03.2022) EU lawmakers quizzed the European Commission executive vice-president, Margrethe Vestager, about new guidelines that would enable self-employed people to seek the protection of collective bargaining agreements, with both sides agreeing that such a right should be guaranteed.

Pension Policy International (28.03.2022) Director-General of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Dr. John Ofori-Tenkorang, has said it’s outfit is working to expand coverage of the scheme to cover all workers in the informal sector. According to him, SSNIT has introduced an informal sector pension fund to provide social protection to workers in the informal sector to secure their irregular incomes. Director-General of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Dr.

Pensions Age Magazine (24.03.22) More than a third (37 per cent) of people would be willing to accept some reduction in their pension savings if their investments were made more ethically, a study by the High Pay Centre and Survation has found. Of those surveyed, two-thirds (66 per cent) said that they wanted their pension fund to reflect their ethical values and beliefs.

foreignpolicy.com (10.03.2022) One of the biggest challenges women face globally is the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their ability to work. According to the International Labor Organization, women’s workforce participation levels are still below pre-pandemic levels, whereas men’s jobs have largely returned.