Public pension schemes in many countries are predominantly of a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) type, particularly in advanced and transition economies. This paper reviews the types of stresses that PAYG systems can experience and discusses a range of policy options to preserve the financial stability of...

Recent trends in trade, technology, and politics have created new opportunities for global welfare improvement, but have also increased risks. This challenge requires rethinking social protection, and its instruments, particularly social funds. This paper reviews social funds, and suggests...

The study reports evidence based on recent evaluation of active labor market programs, in developed countries, as well as on developing, and transition economies. While a number of unresolved technical issues, and a variety of data problems in specific surveys, and administrative information,...

This report examines the situation of child labor in Thailand in the last decade. It finds that child labor has decreased significantly, for example, the labor force participation rates of those aged 13-14 years has almost halved since 1990. Despite this decline, 1.6 million children below the...

This paper considers alternatives to disperse the accumulated pension rights during the liquidation phase or retirement. First, the paper classifies the risks that affect pensioners, discusses the defined benefit and defined contribution options, and classifies pension contracts according to...

In the last three decades, the effects of export-oriented industrialization have called into question the once popular import substitution strategies. This change has been parallel to the development of Export Processing Zones (EPZs). Though initially found in a small number of countries, mainly...

Fiscal problems are prompting many developing nations to amend and sometimes restructure their national old-age programs. As they do, these countries seek guidance on how to design market and regulatory structures to enhance their chances of success. This paper investigates the types of risks...

This report focuses primarily on the mechanics of financing the transition from an unfunded pension scheme with equates with hidden public debt to a funded scheme which makes this debt explicit, and on the financial stocks and flows involved. Only if the problem is treated in a consistent...

A critical question in the transition to a funded, private pension system is whether the new private element is presented as a mandate or choice to current and future workers. This report sets out the spectrum of available options and looks at policy in 13 reforming countries-Argentina, Bolivia,...

This report examines the level and changes in female and male participation rates, employment segregation, and female wages relative to male wages across the world economy. It funds sufficient evidence to support the view that labor markets in developing countries are transformed relatively...