Africa’s rapidly ageing population is in need of social protection, yet it continues to be largely overlooked
Our blogger, Madeleine Cretney, is a Social Policy Officer at Development Pathways. Africa may currently be the youngest continent in the world, but the growth of its older population this century will outstrip that of any other region. According to a 2019 UN report on population ageing, the continent will see a three-fold increase in the number...
Developing a Comprehensive National Social Protection Systems and Reforms Country Profile for Tunisia
We are supporting United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and the Ministry of Social Affairs in Tunisia to develop a Comprehensive National Social Protection Systems and Reforms Country Profile for Tunisia.
Webinar reflections: “Building back better” for older people in Asia
Last week, HelpAge International Asia Pacific Regional Office, with support from the Asian Development Bank, hosted a webinar titled: ‘“Building back better” in post-pandemic Asia: Back to the future for older people?’. As a...
Women’s rights should shape universal social protection as a COVID-19 response
By Roosje Saalbrink, Womankind Worldwide “It is high time for our governments to do away with gender-blind policies that provide women with neither protection, nor equality, nor recognition for their essential contributions to the health and economic welfare of our region.” – SIHA-net It is striking to me how quickly the narrative changed, from being...
Inequality and social security in the Asia-Pacific region
The Asia-Pacific region is characterised by high levels of income inequality, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. This report provides analysis and recommendations on how to % reduce inequality in the region.
The perils of linking social protection to financial inclusion
By Sarina Kidd, Development Pathways The purpose of financial inclusion is to incorporate individuals into the formal financial sector, by providing them with affordable financial products and services to meet their needs. Social protection programmes are often considered to be excellent entry points for financial inclusion, especially when recipients are provided with a payment instrument, linked,...
Action Against Hunger recommends a bolder approach to universal social protection
Action Against Hunger (AAH) France recently released a policy brief entitled “Universal social protection in the aftermath of COVID-19: a step forward towards social justice.”
Crocodiles and CROCO dials: How the metrics of Coverage, Rate, Ownership, Continuity and Opportunity demonstrate the superiority of life-course social protection
By Nicholas Freeland I have just read a paper[1] on social protection in Africa with which I profoundly disagree. It has a good main title – “Beware of the Crocodile” – but it goes steadily downhill from there. Even the sub-title is misleading: “Quantitative Evidence on How Universal Old Age Grants...
New dates announced for Development Pathways’ Online Course on Inclusive Social Protection
Due to popular demand, Development Pathways is releasing new dates for the Online Course on Inclusive Social Protection: Making the Case which will take place from 3 May to 9 July 2021 with only 20 spaces available.
Smoke and mirrors: the role of World Bank and IMF in shaping social security policy in the MENA region
Written by Sarina D. Kidd for the Ford Foundation funded Inclusive Social Security Policy Forum, this working paper highlights how the international financial institutions (IFIs) shape social security policy in the MENA region.