Reports, working papers, policy briefs and other publications

The COVID-19 pandemic poses multifaceted threats and continues to impact the livelihoods, dignity and survival of people, particularly older persons and other vulnerable groups. Affordable access to health care for older persons has therefore become particularly important. COVID-19 has spurred new information and communication technology (ICT) initiatives, enabling continued or enhanced access to quality health care through remote diagnosis, treatment and care, particularly for older persons. This policy brief provides policy options on how ICTs can be used to facilitate access to healthcare for older persons during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

The Asia-Pacific Migration Report 2020 is a baseline assessment of the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) in Asia and the Pacific. It will inform the Asia-Pacific Regional Review of GCM Implementation, to be held from 10 to 12 March 2021. The report presents an overview of migration in Asia and the Pacific. It discusses GCM implementation in the context of the indicative clusters of GCM objectives presented in General Assembly resolution 73/326. It also discusses short- and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrants and their families, and recommends future collaborative action by governments and relevant stakeholders in order to achieve safe, orderly and regular migration in Asia and the Pacific. Throughout the report there is discussion of the core United Nations purposes and principles on which the GCM is based, including the United Nations Charter, international human rights law, international labour law, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The publication is the product of collaboration among the members of the Regional United Nations Network on Migration for Asia and the Pacific.

Population ageing is a global phenomenon with significant impacts on sustainable development. While being a positive outcome of economic and social development, population ageing will require new economic and social policies if countries are to achieve the 2030 Agenda. Using simulations, the paper shows the impact of different policy options to maintain economic growth in ageing societies in Asia and the Pacific, using China, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, and Thailand, as examples. For each country, the effect of different mitigating policies that seek to stimulate the economy by affecting demography, labour force participation, and productivity are discussed, along with actionable policy recommendations which can be applied to other countries or areas in similar circumstances. The recommendations include increasing labour force participation of older persons, in particular women, to maintain growth and contain the relative size of spending for high-income countries, and to generate growth and provide the fiscal means to finance social protection for upper-middle income countries. Recommendations for lower-middle income economies, particularly for those countries that run the greatest risk of becoming old before they become rich, include investing in productivity enhancement. This involves investing in health and education, ensuring adequate physical capital infrastructure, and a concerted plan to increase the formalisation of the workforce. Recommendations also include measures how to increase labour force participation of women and older persons and on strengthening pension systems.