FT Online (14.02.2019)  Countries in Asia and the Pacific have a good chance of achieving the social protection agenda under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) if the right fiscal reforms and policies are in place, says a new study by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The report, Asia’s Fiscal Challenge: Financing the Social Protection Agenda of the SDGs, looks at the fiscal situation in 16 countries and the challenges in building and expanding their social welfare program. 

Asian Development Bank (October 2018) This book focuses on the analysis of fiscal requirements to achieve the social protection agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals.

socialprotection.org (January 2019) The report presents an inventory of non-contributory social protection programmes in South and East Asian countries and the Pacific Islands. It is based on an extensive review of official government documents and websites, reports and relevant documents produced by international organisations, and academic papers.

adb.org (21.08.2018) Extending social protection to all jobs will facilitate labor market mobility.

Fiji Sun (06.01.2019) Two years ago, the Fiji National Provident Fund and the International Social Security Association (ISSA) signed a memorandum of agreement in Panama to establish an ISSA Pacifi c desk to be hosted by the Fund.

The Social Outlook for Asia and the Pacific lays out new arguments and evidence for the critical and urgent need to increase investment in people, particularly in social protection.

The BMJ (30.11.2018) Universal health coverage means that every person everywhere should have affordable access to good quality essential health services. The governments of South Asian countries have embraced the goal of universal health coverage, which is the centrepiece of commitments to deliver the third health related sustainable development goal (SDG).

ILO (16.11.2018) Working poverty, informality and vulnerable employment are amongst the persistent challenges of Asia-Pacific labour markets according to a new ILO report. The report calls for coordinated policies to promote decent work as the link to translate economic growth into sustainable development in the region.

socialprotection (Nov.2018) This brief discusses the relationship between resilience, preparedness, humanitarian assistance and social protection for children in the Europe and Central Asia region. Its objective is to provide ideas and suggestions for UNICEF’s work to support social protection systems to better prepare, prevent, respond to and recover from crisis and emergencies affecting children and their families. The brief is intended as a resource for UNICEF staff of the Europe and Central Asia region.

ILO (31.10.2018) The 11th ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour held in Singapore on 29-30 October discussed how to maximize the potential of digitalization to promote decent work for migrant workers in the Asia Pacific region. Anna Engblom, senior expert on labour migration at the International Labour Organization (ILO), reviews the opportunities and challenges brought by digitalization in this area.