Social pensions Part I : their role in the overall pension system

Cash transfers for the elderly with little or no link to previous contribution, or work history are employed in many countries to provide income support for the elderly. In the context of the larger debate over pension reform, some argue that these'social pensions'are an effective way to deal with chronically low coverage of contributory schemes, and to alleviate poverty among the elderly. This paper reviews the global experience with social pensions. We find that coverage and cost of these programs varies widely, and that the appropriate role for social pensions should take into account several country-specific conditions. The extent of coverage of the contributory scheme, the extent of other social assistance programs, and the relative poverty status of the elderly are among the factors that should be considered. Design and implementation issues will be reviewed in Part II.Poverty Impact Evaluation,Poverty Monitoring&Analysis,Services&Transfers to Poor,Insurance&Risk Mitigation,Rural Poverty Reduction

Pensions in the Middle East and North Africa: time for change

While other regions — Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America in particular — have been active in pension reform, the Middle East and North Africa have lagged behind. In part this is because of the belief that favourable mean financial problems are still far in the future and pension reform is therefore not a priority. However, pension systems in the Middle East and North Africa face important structural problems. They distort the economy, tend to favour middle- and high-income workers at the expense of low-income workers and cover only a modest share of the workforce (33% on average), mostly workers in the public sector and the formal private sector. Financial problems are also starting to develop: even if favorable demography persists, benefit promises are out of line with contribution rates and retirement ages. This book puts forward a comprehensive framework to guide discussion about pension reform in the Middle East and North Africa