(14.11.2024) Population ageing is exerting unprecedented fiscal pressure on social security systems around the world. In response, many governments are implementing or planning pension reforms, often aimed at encouraging later retirement. Recent years have seen a surge in empirical research on retirement behavior and the impact of pension reforms. This column presents a new eBook that reviews insights from the newest advances in research on retirement policy and provides fresh perspectives on how to (re)think pension reforms.

International Labour Review (Sept 2024) This article explores the heterogeneity of care platforms using the case studies of two platforms in the Italian domestic work sector: one that carries out matching between supply and demand (Helpling), reinforcing informality in the sector, and one that acts as an employer (Batmaid). The analysis shows that digital platforms can introduce a corporate logic into a sector where it was previously absent.

oecd.org (02.12.2024) The design and governance of asset-backed pensions should be enhanced to foster more inclusive and resilient systems, secure better outcomes for individuals and contribute to sustainable economic growth and innovation, according to new analysis from the OECD. Pension assets in OECD countries grew by 10% in 2023, reaching over USD 56 trillion, more than triple the level seen two decades ago. Total assets hit USD 63 trillion after adding pension reserve funds held by governments.

oecd (22.11.2024) Ageing populations, changing labour markets, and climate change are affecting economies and societies across OECD countries. What challenges do these “megatrends” pose for social protection systems? What are the implications of these trends for the coverage, the effectiveness, and – critically – the funding of social protection today and tomorrow?

who.int (12.11.2024) The State of long-term care (‎State of LTC)‎ toolkit is designed to support policy- and decision-makers in their efforts to reform and transform long-term care systems by promoting learning, collaboration and trust. It proposes a conceptual framework and a methodological approach to knowledge generation, grounded in participatory governance. The conceptual framework focuses on five key components – population care needs, system inputs, outputs, outcomes and population-level impact – disaggregated into 25 analytical domains.

OECD (13.11.2024) As populations age and chronic conditions rise, the demand for end-of-life care is becoming a critical issue across OECD countries. Although most people would prefer to die at home, the majority still die in hospitals, partly due to limited access to home-based services. This policy brief explores the gap between people’s preferences for end-of-life care and the care they actually receive, examining factors such as funding allocation, palliative care availability, and the role of family caregivers.

ilo.org (10.11.2024) Migrant workers – especially migrant women – form a critical component of care infrastructures and workforces around the world. However labour migration governance frameworks and protection regimes do not always effectively respond to labour market and employer needs, or sufficiently protect migrant care workers’ rights. This policy brief provides an overview of transformations shaping the growing global demand for care workers, the decent work and labour migration governance challenges which shape outcomes for migrant care workers, and provides recommended policy actions.

worldbank.org (04.11.2024) The rapid expansion of the digital economy has transformed the labor market, particularly through the rise of platform-based work. Despite the opportunities it brought into the lives of many workers, the digital economy has presented many challenges to the working conditions of platform workers. This policy brief examines regulatory approaches to protect platform workers across the world and synthesizes the approach to legislation and its scope in the key areas of labor regulations.

oecd (29.10.2024) With population ageing, the demand for helping older people with daily activities – so-called long-term care – is set to increase across OECD countries by more than one-third by 2050. Older people with long-term care needs are more likely to be women, 80-years-old and above, live in single households, and have lower incomes than the average. Currently, across OECD countries, publicly funded long-term care systems still leave almost half of older people with care needs at risk of poverty, particularly those with severe care needs and low income.

worldbank.org (16.10.2024) This paper identifies key challenges in health care and long-term care as populations age and provides examples of how countries are responding to them. The paper focuses on developing countries that are aging fast, where anticipation and action are especially important. The paper highlights the need for a holistic strategy that focuses on strengthening health care and long-term care systems and achieving universal care coverage, moving from a disease-centered approach to a person-centered one.