Person:
Palacios, Robert Joseph
Author Name Variants
Fields of Specialization
Pensions,
Social insurance,
Identification systems
Degrees
External Links
Departments
Social Protection and Jobs Global Practice
Externally Hosted Work
Contact Information
Last updated
January 31, 2023
Biography
Robert Palacios is a Lead Specialist in the Social Protection and Jobs Global Practice of the World Bank. His last assignment was as Global Lead for the Pensions and Social Insurance Global Solutions Group. Between 1992-1994, he was a member of the research department team that produced the World Bank’s influential volume on international pension systems, “Averting the Old Age Crisis: Policies to Protect the Old and Promote Growth”. Since 1995, he has worked in more than thirty countries in Eastern Europe, East and South Asia, Latin America and Africa. His publications include articles and books on old age poverty, health insurance and a wide range of pension policy issues. Between 2007-2010, he was based in India where he provided support to the effort to roll out the biometric ID system known as Aadhaar. Upon his return to Washington DC, he played a key role in establishing the World Bank’s Identification for Development (ID4D) initiative, developing the ID4D diagnostic tool which has been applied in 25 countries. He continues to advise multiple country teams across the world.
Publication Search Results
1 - 3 of 3
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Publication
Identification for Development: Cote d’Ivoire
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2015-06)The report is organized into the following sections: section two presents the approach and methodology of the evaluation used. It gives an overview of the Identification Systems Analysis (ISA). Section three gives a detailed description of the Identity ecosystem in Cote d’Ivoire. It examines all the identification schemes that were considered of primary importance by the Mission and that were part of the interviews conducted. Where enough data was collected, the ISA analysis is performed and the color coded score is presented. Section four presents a series of recommendations to address the identification needs of the WB Project but also for improving the identification practices in the country in general. Those recommendations are based on the extensive experience that the World Bank ISA team has had in the course of applying the tool in similar environments. In addition to these primary sections, the report contains four appendices: appendix one presents the scoring methodology of ISA. Appendix two provides a brief history of identification regulations in Côte d’Ivoire. It is meant to give some legal context to the identification schemes currently in place. Appendix three discusses how the foundation of current identity schemes (national identity card and the voter register) were dictated by the Peace Accord of Ouagadougou, and what role identity played in the conflict and the exit from that period. Appendix four is a detailed overview of the important law on privacy. The so called Law No. 2013-450 related to the protection of personally identifying information, which was adopted in 2013 and is currently being enforced systematically. This is the Côte d’Ivoire adaptation of the ECOWAS law on data protection and it represents a very significant body of codified legislation. -
Publication
Investing in People: Social Protection for Indonesia's 2045 Vision
(World Bank, Jakarta, 2020-04-30)The Government of Indonesia's Vision for 2045 sets an ambitious path that will require significant investments in human capital and social protection Indonesia continues to set ambitious goals for its growth and development. The Government of Indonesia's (GoI) vision for 2045—when the country celebrates 100 years of independence—is to achieve high income status and reduce poverty to nearly zero. In addition to sustained growth and income opportunities for all, an inclusive and efficient social protection (SP) system will be essential to meet these ambitious goals. In most countries today, effective risk-sharing and SP policies play important roles in building equity, resilience and opportunity, and in strengthening human capital. Indonesia is no different. Risk sharing interventions can reduce and prevent poverty, and make growth more equitable by safeguarding households' human and physical capital. Over the past two decades, Indonesia's SP system has been fundamentally transformed. In particular, it has moved from the dominance of regressive consumer subsidies and ad-hoc crisis response to targeted and household based social assistance programs, with a massive coverage expansion. In terms of social insurance, recent years have seen an ongoing building and integration of its policies and institutions. This has all been made possible through better spending allocations and a build-up of the needed platforms to deliver programs effectively and efficiently. -
Publication
Framing the Future of Work
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2018-10-17)Digital technologies affect employment through complex channels: automation, connectivity, and innovation. Labor-saving technologies coupled with reshoring may disrupt labor markets in developing countries and result in job losses. Yet, technological change drives productivity gains in both white-collar and blue-collar jobs either through ICT uptake or modern mechanical technologies. The ‘gig economy’ changes the traditional employer-employee relationship as it introduces new types of work. Digital platforms increase flexibility and labor market transparency, but delink workers from employers and from social benefits and protections making them more vulnerable. Policymakers in rich and poor countries alike should rethink social protection mechanisms. Technology diffusion has created divided worlds varying by region and income level. Job automation is likely to have a greater impact on less skilled workers than those with a university education (40 percent versus 5 percent in OECD countries). Moving towards a digital economy will reward those with access to broadband connectivity, strong institutions, and digital literacy. Future workers must acquire basic IT skills together with socio emotional skills that adapt to a lifelong learning environment in a changing jobs landscape. Technology can also increase labor market access for women and persons with disabilities, given the right ‘analog’ complements are in place. Technological change will affect the number, quality, and distribution of jobs across the world. In developing countries, the future workforce should be ready to embrace technology, digital literacy, and connectedness—bringing everyone closer to the technological frontier.