news

Real-world experiments in messaging show that getting low-income people the help they need is more effective when stigma is reduced

Submitted by pmassetti on Tue, 02/20/2024 - 15:52

theconversation.com (14.02,2024) There are pervasive stereotypes that Americans who are low income and access government assistance are lazy, lack a work ethic and are even morally inferior. This stigma has been shown to have many negative consequences. But until now, there’s been little research on whether this stigma influences the willingness to use government assistance. We studied the effect of stigma in the context of Emergency Rental Assistance. The purpose of rental assistance programs is to help low-income people avoid eviction by helping them pay overdue rent.

Regions / Country
United States
Topics
Innovation capacity
Behavioural insights
Document Type

Europe's bid to boost gig workers rights fails again

Submitted by pmassetti on Mon, 02/19/2024 - 15:13

Reuters (16.02.2024) Europe's attempt to give workers at Uber, Deliveroo and other online platforms more social and labour rights failed a second time after France and three other countries abstained from voting on the watered-down political deal. Belgium, the current holder of the rotating EU presidency, is unlikely to muster enough support for yet another attempt, especially as the European Parliament which has to endorse a final deal, gradually winds down ahead of elections in June.

Regions / Country
european union
Digital plateform workers
Document Type

Livreurs Uber et Deliveroo : Macron accusé d’avoir torpillé un texte européen pour améliorer leur sort

Submitted by pmassetti on Mon, 02/19/2024 - 14:50

huffingtonpost.fr (17.02.2024) La fin d’un travail de plus de deux ans ? Plusieurs pays ont bloqué ce vendredi 16 février l’adoption d’une législation européenne censée renforcer les droits des travailleurs des plateformes numériques comme Uber ou Deliveroo, mais largement vidée de sa substance. Parmi eux : la France ou l’Allemagne.

Regions / Country
european union
Document Type

Improving the working conditions of platform workers

Submitted by pmassetti on Tue, 02/13/2024 - 15:53

European Parliament (17.01.2024) Although a provisional political agreement between the Council and Parliament was announced on 13 December 2023, 10 Member States could not endorse this agreement on 22 December 2023. The Belgian Presidency is seeking to revive informal discussions with the European Parliament so as to set a date for new negotiations. Platform work is an umbrella concept covering a heterogeneous group of economic activities completed through a digital platform.

Regions / Country
european union
Digital plateform workers
Document Type

South Africa’s ageing population comes with new challenges. How best to adapt to them

Submitted by pmassetti on Thu, 02/08/2024 - 15:32

theconversation.com (21.01.2024) Young people – under the age of 15 – currently make up 29% of South Africa’s population. But this will soon change: the aged portion of the population is forecast to rise from 2030, bringing many challenges. Lauren Johnston, an economics and political economy expert, recently published a paper on the subject. We asked her to put the developments into perspective.

Regions / Country
south africa
Global challenges
Topics
Pensions
Document Type

France: «Bien vieillir»: le Sénat vote plusieurs mesures et demande une grande loi autonomie

Submitted by pmassetti on Tue, 02/06/2024 - 16:14

lefigaro.fr (06.02.2024) Après l'Assemblée nationale en novembre, la proposition de loi portant sur une panoplie de mesures pour «bâtir la société du bien-vieillir en France» est bien partie pour être adoptée très largement par les sénateurs

Regions / Country
france
Global challenges
Topics
Population ageing
Document Type

Fostering Resilience: How Mobile Money Transformed Crisis Response in Cameroon

Submitted by pmassetti on Fri, 02/02/2024 - 15:55

worldbank.org (29.01.2024) In early 2020, Cameroon had a well-established safety net. The Social Safety Net Project had reached almost 10% of the poor (140,000 households) with either cash transfers or, mainly for youth, temporary employment through public works. More broadly, the project had put in place robust systems to identify beneficiaries, monitor implementation, and handle complaints. While it had recently expanded support to refugees, it remained focused on addressing chronic poverty rather than responding to crises. The COVID-19 pandemic provided the impetus for change.

Regions / Country
cameroon
Global challenges
Topics
Mobile technologies
E-services
Document Type

India: Interim Budget 2024: Gig workers to get social security fund, says report

Submitted by pmassetti on Mon, 01/29/2024 - 15:37

India Today (29.01.2024) The proposed fund, outlined in the Social Security Code of 2020, represents a significant move towards providing universal social security for a wide range of workers.

Regions / Country
india
Digital plateform workers
Document Type

How improving women's health can unlock trillions in GDP

Submitted by pmassetti on Thu, 01/18/2024 - 15:44

World Economic Forum (17.01.2024) A new analysis from the World Economic Forum and the McKinsey Health Institute shows how improving women's health can significantly boost GDP. Enhancing women’s health benefits individual women and helps families, communities, organizations and the global economy. In recognition of the importance of addressing the gender health gap, the World Economic Forum is launching the Global Alliance for Women's Health.

Global challenges
Topics
Health
Document Type

France leads charge to rewrite platform workers’ rulebook

Submitted by pmassetti on Fri, 01/12/2024 - 15:58

Euractiv (12.01.2024) Last month, a coalition of EU countries blocked the provisional agreement on the Platform Workers Directive. But while the Belgian EU Council presidency wants to use the political deal as the starting point for future discussion, Paris wants a more comprehensive file reshaping.

Regions / Country
european union
Digital plateform workers
Document Type