November 2024

Delhi Govt Re-Launched Senior Citizen Pension Scheme Despite Challenges: Bharadwaj

New Delhi, Nov 25 (IANS) Delhi health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj announced on Monday that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has re-launched the senior citizen pension scheme, despite challenges posed by the Central government. The scheme, offering financial assistance to Delhi residents aged 60 and above, was revived under the leadership of former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who had previously launched it but saw it halted during Political setbacks. The re-launched scheme has seen overwhelming interest, with over 10,000 applications on its first day. The...

India. 80,000 more people to get old-age pension in Delhi: Kejriwal

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said an additional 80,000 people are now eligible for old-age pension in Delhi, raising the total number of such beneficiaries to 5.3 lakh. Kejriwal said at a press conference that the Delhi government is committed to social welfare and highlighted that the decision to pay old-age pension to more people is being implemented following Cabinet approval on Sunday. On Sunday, the Delhi government launched a portal for the elderly to apply for pensions. It has...

October 2024

8.1 Million Ghanaian workers not covered by pension scheme – Prof. Abdallah Mashud

The Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Retirement Research (ACRR), Professor Abdallah Mashud, has disclosed that as of last year, 2023, approximately 8.1 million Ghanaian workers were not covered by any form of pension scheme. Speaking on Joy News’ AM Show on Tuesday, October 28, 2024, with Benjamin Akakpo, the renowned social security expert described the situation as problematic. He was discussing the 2024 pension manifesto of the two major political parties: the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party...

Kenya. Workers in informal sector to receive regulated wages, pension in new govt plan

The government has announced that workers in the informal sector will soon begin saving for their retirement and receive medical coverage through an expanded social protection programme. Speaking on Thursday during the launch of a social protection project funded by China in Nairobi, Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua said the new plan, which is set for immediate implementation, is expected to benefit Kenya's 16 million informal-sector workers. This will be done by introducing regulated minimum wages and mandating...

Platform workers: a new era of labour protection in Singapore

The Platform Workers Act coming into effect on 1 January 2025 will be a game-changer in Singapore’s labour landscape.  It marks a significant step towards recognising the unique circumstances of platform workers and providing them with essential protections. As one of the first countries to establish specific safeguards for this growing workforce, Singapore is demonstrating its commitment to adapting labour laws to the evolving digital economy. Understanding Platform Workers and Platform Operators The Act defines “platform workers” as individuals who contract...

How many Canadians are gig workers?

More than one in five (22%) Canadians are participating in gig work of various kinds across the country. That equates to about 7.3 million adults finding work outside of regular employment. And they are doing it for a variety of reasons, reports Securian Canada, with more than half (57%) — or roughly four million people — relying on this type of work to supplement their primary income. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of all gig workers are either employed full-time or part-time outside...

New ILO report highlights urgent need for improved labour and social protection for domestic workers in ASEAN

A new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) highlights the critical need to improve labour and social protection for domestic workers across the 10-member Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) region. The report entitled Labour rights and social protection coverage for domestic workers in ASEAN  finds that despite their essential role in supporting households and economies, domestic workers, many of whom are women and migrants face significant gaps in protections that affect their well-being and economic security. There are about 38.3 million domestic...

US. People delaying retirement to get Medicare. Is it worth it?

I started my career with ING. After five years, I was convinced I would finish my career there. They spun off in the U.S. and, after year six, I found a new home. After five years at my new firm, and after becoming an owner, I was convinced I would finish my career there. In year eight, I sold my shares back to start my own firm. The point is that things don’t always go as planned. According to the Employee...

What strategies are working to increase pension coverage?

It’s no surprise that people are living longer and retiring later. Last week’s Association of Canadian Pension Management (ACPM)’s annual national two-day conference held in Kelowna, BC offered Canadian pension plan sponsors, administrators, trustees, asset managers and other retirement income system leaders a look into the organizations in Canada and around the world who are employing a range of strategies to increase pension coverage and improve retirement outcomes for Canadians. Global Pension Index David Knox, senior partner and senior actuary for Mercer...

September 2024

Pension Coverage and Informal Sector Workers: International Experiences

By Yu-Wei Hu & Fiona Stewart  Pension reform around the world in recent decades has focused mainly on the formal sector. Consequently, many of those working in the informal sector have been left out of structured pension arrangements, particularly in developing countries – a serious problem given this group are often low income earners, vulnerable to economic volatility and change. However, since the turn of the millennium, efforts in a range of countries have increasingly highlighted improving pension coverage for...