social protection

VOX EU | The joint provision of active labour market policies and income support can be a powerful solution for improving workers’ perspectives

VOX EU | The joint provision of active labour market policies and income support can be a powerful solution for improving workers’ perspectives

Active labour market policies have the potential to improve workers’ employability, but a key challenge in developing and emerging countries is that without income support to cover their basic needs, many workers simply cannot afford to participate in such policies. This column examines the examples of Uruguay and Mauritius and finds that approaches combining both active labour market policies and income support are more effective in improving the labour market perspectives of vulnerable workers than the same policies implemented in isolation. However, the success of integrated policies clearly depends on design and implementation characteristics.

POLICY BRIEF | Delivering income and employment support in times of COVID-19: Integrating cash transfers with active labor market policies

POLICY BRIEF | Delivering income and employment support in times of COVID-19: Integrating cash transfers with active labor market policies

This brief examines how income support and active labour market policies can come together to improve workers' prospects in times of COVID-19, particularly in emerging and developing countries. It identifies the characteristics that determined the success of such polices in the past, and discusses how they can be adapted to today’s pandemic to contribute to rebuilding employment opportunities.

BLOG - It’s possible to break the working poverty vicious circle

BLOG - It’s possible to break the working poverty vicious circle

Put yourselves in the shoes of a vulnerable worker in a developing or emerging country: You have a job but you don’t earn much, so you struggle to make ends meet. You know that if you had the chance to improve your skills you could get a better job, but you simply can’t take time off work because you need the money.

This vicious circle is the reality for the 630 million people worldwide who work but fail to pull themselves and their families out of poverty.