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.

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.

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.

equaltimes.org (14.02.2024) In recent years, the platform model of capitalism has spread throughout the world, exacerbating precariousness, informality and the delocalisation of labour relations wherever it goes. This in turn has created the need for alternatives that counteract the instrumentalisation of emerging technologies to exploit workers. One viable alternative is platform cooperativism, a model of worker association that uses new technologies to ensure the well-being of workers rather than exploit them through algorithmic mechanisms of control.

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.

oecd (07.02.2024) Digital technologies are having a profound impact on economies, labour markets and societies. They also have the potential to transform government, by enabling the implementation of more accessible and effective services. To support a shift towards digital government, investment is needed in developing the skills of civil servants. This paper reviews good practices across OECD countries to foster skills for digital government. It presents different approaches in public administration to organising training activities as well as opportunities for informal learning.

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.

Development Pathways (February 2024) Challenging the misconception that universal social security is only viable in high-income countries, this paper compiles examples of ongoing universal coverage schemes in low- and middle-income nations, focusing on old age, disability, and child benefits. With sufficient political backing, these countries have gradually introduced one or multiple universal schemes, constructing comprehensive, affordable, and sustainable lifecycle social security systems over time.

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

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.