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| | | | |  | |  | Pension systems among the elderly are essential to guarantee them a stable source of income to cover basic needs. Lack of access to pensions and other social safety nets, combined with insufficient savings and restricted access to credit markets, can either increase poverty levels among the elderly, extend their work life beyond their health capabilities, or generate an excessive income burden on relatives supporting them. Despite the implementation of multiple reforms in the last couple of decades, coverage of pension systems in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries is still low. Nearly half of LAC’s elderly population (65 +) does not count on a minimum source of pension income (44 percent in 2006). Within the region there is substantial heterogeneity in terms of pension coverage: 60 percent for the MERCOSUR area and Chile, 32 percent for Andean countries, and 22 percent in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Moreover, pension coverage is extremely low among the poor. With the notable exceptions of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Costa Rica (with large non-contributory pension schemes) and Argentina and Uruguay (highly subsidized), the poor are mostly excluded from pension systems, with coverage below 15 percent for the lowest income quintile in the rest of the countries in the region. Access and financing of pension systems still mostly rely on contributions from formal workers and employers. Reforms in the 1990s aimed to improve financial sustainability of the systems, including a move towards individual retirement accounts with a compulsory-voluntary savings component (structural reforms). However, the reality of LAC labor markets, characterized by a large informal sector and frequent transitions between employment and unemployment spells, difficult the coverage expansion needed to prevent poverty in the old age under the actual conditions. Also, since LAC is a region that faces a combination of rising life expectancy and declining fertility rates, the demographic transition will make more difficult to finance pensions to the elderly population through collecting from the active generation. In response to this reality, recent policy debates have focused on expanding coverage in a sustainable way, and several countries, including Chile and Argentina, have started to implement a second wave of reforms in this direction.
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| | top | |  | Impact evaluations are assessments that allow for the attribution of changes in outcomes to the particular program being evaluated – through the identification of a credible counterfactual, which establishes what would have happened to the beneficiaries had they not been exposed to the program. Evidence from credible impact evaluations is one of the most powerful tools available to policymakers for improving the design of programs and policies, and the allocation of funds across competing interventions.The HD team in LAC has been at the forefront of impact evaluations, and has generated a wealth of knowledge on programs ranging from conditional cash transfer (CCTs) to school-based autonomy and innovative health service delivery mechanisms. These impact evaluations are invaluable tools for countries and, more broadly, for the international community involved in these sectors. The HD team is currently leading a series of impact evaluations funded by the Spanish Impact Evaluation Trust Fund (SIEF) in the clusters of evaluations of programs on youth employment and labor market policies, conditional cash transfers and performance-based health service delivery. Over the past two years, the HD team has pushed the evaluation agenda by holding in-country workshops that focus on building integrated teams to effectively undertake impact evaluations which will influence policy making and program design. The workshops provide joint learning for the mix of individuals involved in an impact evaluation (technical, managerial and political; counterpart and Bank staff), focusing on a variety of teaching techniques to engage all types (lectures, case studies, development of action plans for team projects).
| | top | |  | The total number of young people in LAC ages 12- 24 years will continue to increase until around 2025. The potential of this group to contribute to the success of their communities has never been greater, and yet a growing number of its members -- almost half -- can be considered “at-risk”. This means they are engaging in, or are experiencing life factors that contribute to the likelihood of engaging in, negative behaviors that compromise the fulfillment of their potential. These negative behaviors include early sexual activity, leaving school prematurely, crime and violence, joblessness, and abusing drugs and alcohol. Such behavior reduces economic growth in LAC by up to 2 percent annually. Recognizing the enormous development potential of this particular group, the LAC SP team, through analytical and operational work that includes a "Youth at Risk" Policy Toolkit, has identified the causes underlying risky behaviors, and outlined seven core policies, nine promising approaches, and a five-point action plan that helps policy makers address the needs of this age cohort even within a tight budget environment.
| | top | |  | International experience shows that effective programs directed at preventing malnutrition are among the most powerful mechanisms to prevent risks that may cause irreversible damage and affect future productivity. Tackling malnutrition directly reduces child mortality and improves the likelihood of better lifetime earnings. The World Bank LAC HD team recognizes improving nutritional status of pregnant women and young children as a key priority and an investment with high returns. Over the last couple of years the team has been very active and supported various initiatives to improve nutritional status in most countries of the region.
| | top | |  | Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programs have become predominant as one of the most innovative social policy tools in the world. CCTs support poor households’ consumption while promoting social capital investment in the long run tying transfers to compliance with health, education and nutrition conditionalities. At least 15 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have some variety of CCT programs in place, serving 22 million poor families in the region. MIS for CCTs in LAC: MIS Full Report: English / Spanish MIS Synthesis Note: English / Spanish CCT Community of Practice: ( Read more... ) | | top | |  | Presentations: Projects:
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