Publication: Social Protection Situational Analysis : North Macedonia
Loading...
Published
2022
ISSN
Date
2022-08-10
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
North Macedonia has strengthened its social protection system through comprehensive reforms in social assistance, social services, and pensions. This note considers, based on existing evidence, the extent to which the social protection system in North Macedonia satisfies four basic principles: adequacy; balance and effectiveness; equity; and sustainability. The situational analysis note is structured as follows: section two reviews the main poverty and labor market outcomes in North Macedonia, comparing it with peers and relevant country groups. Section 3 introduces a framework to consider the performance of the social protection system and then outlines the broad characteristics of social protection in North Macedonia, by program type and expenditure. Section 4 looks at non-contributory cash transfers to support the poor, the vulnerable and persons with disabilities and assesses the recent social assistance reform. Section 5 discusses social services and assesses the changes in social services as a result of the social protection reform as well as the introduction of case management, which aims to help ensure the provision of integrated services to the poor and vulnerable. Section 6 discusses pensions. Section 7 explores employment and active labor market programs (ALMPs). Section 8 considers the recent social protection response to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and section 9 concludes by offering an assessment of the main areas for reform.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“World Bank. 2022. Social Protection Situational Analysis : North Macedonia. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/37873 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Social Protection Situational Analysis : Montenegro(Washington, DC, 2022)A period of economic growth over the past decade led to a reduction in poverty and improvements in labor market outcomes in Montenegro. Substantial challenges remain, which have been aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing attention to the role that social protection plays in reducing poverty and promoting human capital. This note presents a situational analysis of the social protection system in Montenegro. It assesses the extent to which the social protection system in Montenegro fulfils its purpose and proposes areas for reform in the short, medium, and long term. To this end, this note seeks to assess each category of social protection, namely: social assistance, social services, social insurance (specifically pensions) and labor market programs, in terms of program coverage, equity, sustainability and effectiveness.Publication Social Protection Situational Analysis : Albania(Washington, DC, 2022)The objective of this brief situational analysis is to assess the extent to which each element of the social protection system in Albania fulfills its purpose; to determine whether the system as a whole satisfies the four principles outlined in the report; and to identify knowledge gaps and areas for reform in the short, medium and long term, as well as lessons learned from the response to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The analysis finds that Albania has implemented important reforms of the social protection system in the past years to improve the effectiveness and equity in the system. While some of these reforms are beginning to bear fruit, others must be sustained and furthered to achieve the intended results. The situational analysis unfolds as follows: section I gives an introduction; section II reviews the main poverty and labor market outcomes in Albania; section III provides a brief overview of the social protection system in Albania; section IV looks at non-contributory cash transfers to support the poor, the vulnerable and persons with disabilities; section V examines social services; section VI analyzes pensions; section VII explores employment and active labor market programs; section VIII reviews the social protection response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and section XI concludes by identifying main areas for reforms and knowledge gap areas where more detailed assessments will be needed.Publication Social Protection Situational Analysis : Serbia(Washington, DC, 2022)The objective of this situational analysis is to provide a brief assessment of Serbia’s social protection system. The situational analysis identifies how Serbia’s social protection system performs and outlines areas for reform. In this note, social protection refers to: (i) social assistance, (ii) social services, (iii) social insurance (pensions), and (iv) employment and labor market programs. The analysis is based on existing evidence and identifies knowledge gaps to be covered in further analysis. The analysis shows that Serbia operates a comprehensive social protection system; however, policy priorities and inefficiencies in program execution reduce efficiency and effectiveness. Section one gives introduction. The second section provides an overview of poverty and labor market outcomes in Serbia. The third section provides an overview of the social protection system in aggregate, followed by more detailed analysis of social assistance, social services, pensions, and employment programs. A specific section is dedicated to reviewing the social protection system’s response to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The final section provides an overview of reform priorities and knowledge gaps.Publication Reducing Vulnerability and Increasing Opportunity : Social Protection in the Middle East and North Africa(Washington, DC, 2002-01)Despite social, and economic diversity within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, social protection systems share common characteristics. This report develops a framework for a more integrated approach to social protection, and proposes general strategic lines of actions to guide the reform of social protection systems in the MENA region. It argues that, while during the 1970s and 1980s, economic growth rates outweighed growth rates in other regions, and social indicators improved dramatically, the model of development was not sustainable. It further, discusses key features, and major weaknesses of the social protection systems in the MENA countries, by defining an alternative framework for social protection. However, it also argues that traditional social protection schemes, cannot constitute the sole mechanism to protect vulnerable population groups, help the poor, or increase social welfare. Actions outside the traditional social protection system, suggest promoting prudent macroeconomic management, improving governance, rethinking regulatory institutions, and reforming education, and health systems. Concurrently, actions within the traditional social protection system, include improvements in the financial sustainability of social insurance systems, reforming training systems, and designing safety nets as developmental, and community-based, not just assistance, and centrally administered schemes.Publication Social Protection Situational Analysis : Bosnia and Herzegovina(Washington, DC, 2022)Bosnia and Herzegovina faces significant labor market challenges. While recovering from the COVID-19 crisis, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is struggling with persistent unemployment and a predicted rise in poverty. To further reduce the incidence of poverty, measures to create more job opportunities for all BiH citizens must be complemented by an effective social protection framework. This note presents a situational analysis of the social protection system in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It assesses the extent to which the social protection system fulfills its purpose; it also proposes policy priorities as well as areas for reform in the short, medium, and long term. The remainder of the note is organized as follows. Section 2 reviews the country’s main poverty and labor market outcomes; section 3 provides a brief overview of the social protection system; section 4 looks at non-contributory cash transfers to support the poor, the vulnerable and people with disabilities; section 5 examines social care services; section 6 analyzes pensions; section 7 explores employment and active labor market programs; section 8 reviews the social protection response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and section 9 concludes by identifying knowledge gaps and policy priorities for reform.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Digital Progress and Trends Report 2023(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-03-05)Digitalization is the transformational opportunity of our time. The digital sector has become a powerhouse of innovation, economic growth, and job creation. Value added in the IT services sector grew at 8 percent annually during 2000–22, nearly twice as fast as the global economy. Employment growth in IT services reached 7 percent annually, six times higher than total employment growth. The diffusion and adoption of digital technologies are just as critical as their invention. Digital uptake has accelerated since the COVID-19 pandemic, with 1.5 billion new internet users added from 2018 to 2022. The share of firms investing in digital solutions around the world has more than doubled from 2020 to 2022. Low-income countries, vulnerable populations, and small firms, however, have been falling behind, while transformative digital innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) have been accelerating in higher-income countries. Although more than 90 percent of the population in high-income countries was online in 2022, only one in four people in low-income countries used the internet, and the speed of their connection was typically only a small fraction of that in wealthier countries. As businesses in technologically advanced countries integrate generative AI into their products and services, less than half of the businesses in many low- and middle-income countries have an internet connection. The growing digital divide is exacerbating the poverty and productivity gaps between richer and poorer economies. The Digital Progress and Trends Report series will track global digitalization progress and highlight policy trends, debates, and implications for low- and middle-income countries. The series adds to the global efforts to study the progress and trends of digitalization in two main ways: · By compiling, curating, and analyzing data from diverse sources to present a comprehensive picture of digitalization in low- and middle-income countries, including in-depth analyses on understudied topics. · By developing insights on policy opportunities, challenges, and debates and reflecting the perspectives of various stakeholders and the World Bank’s operational experiences. This report, the first in the series, aims to inform evidence-based policy making and motivate action among internal and external audiences and stakeholders. The report will bring global attention to high-performing countries that have valuable experience to share as well as to areas where efforts will need to be redoubled.Publication The Container Port Performance Index 2023(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-07-18)The Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) measures the time container ships spend in port, making it an important point of reference for stakeholders in the global economy. These stakeholders include port authorities and operators, national governments, supranational organizations, development agencies, and other public and private players in trade and logistics. The index highlights where vessel time in container ports could be improved. Streamlining these processes would benefit all parties involved, including shipping lines, national governments, and consumers. This fourth edition of the CPPI relies on data from 405 container ports with at least 24 container ship port calls in the calendar year 2023. As in earlier editions of the CPPI, the ranking employs two different methodological approaches: an administrative (technical) approach and a statistical approach (using matrix factorization). Combining these two approaches ensures that the overall ranking of container ports reflects actual port performance as closely as possible while also being statistically robust. The CPPI methodology assesses the sequential steps of a container ship port call. ‘Total port hours’ refers to the total time elapsed from the moment a ship arrives at the port until the vessel leaves the berth after completing its cargo operations. The CPPI uses time as an indicator because time is very important to shipping lines, ports, and the entire logistics chain. However, time, as captured by the CPPI, is not the only way to measure port efficiency, so it does not tell the entire story of a port’s performance. Factors that can influence the time vessels spend in ports can be location-specific and under the port’s control (endogenous) or external and beyond the control of the port (exogenous). The CPPI measures time spent in container ports, strictly based on quantitative data only, which do not reveal the underlying factors or root causes of extended port times. A detailed port-specific diagnostic would be required to assess the contribution of underlying factors to the time a vessel spends in port. A very low ranking or a significant change in ranking may warrant special attention, for which the World Bank generally recommends a detailed diagnostic.Publication Business Ready 2024(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-03)Business Ready (B-READY) is a new World Bank Group corporate flagship report that evaluates the business and investment climate worldwide. It replaces and improves upon the Doing Business project. B-READY provides a comprehensive data set and description of the factors that strengthen the private sector, not only by advancing the interests of individual firms but also by elevating the interests of workers, consumers, potential new enterprises, and the natural environment. This 2024 report introduces a new analytical framework that benchmarks economies based on three pillars: Regulatory Framework, Public Services, and Operational Efficiency. The analysis centers on 10 topics essential for private sector development that correspond to various stages of the life cycle of a firm. The report also offers insights into three cross-cutting themes that are relevant for modern economies: digital adoption, environmental sustainability, and gender. B-READY draws on a robust data collection process that includes specially tailored expert questionnaires and firm-level surveys. The 2024 report, which covers 50 economies, serves as the first in a series that will expand in geographical coverage and refine its methodology over time, supporting reform advocacy, policy guidance, and further analysis and research.Publication Global Economic Prospects, January 2025(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-01-16)Global growth is expected to hold steady at 2.7 percent in 2025-26. However, the global economy appears to be settling at a low growth rate that will be insufficient to foster sustained economic development—with the possibility of further headwinds from heightened policy uncertainty and adverse trade policy shifts, geopolitical tensions, persistent inflation, and climate-related natural disasters. Against this backdrop, emerging market and developing economies are set to enter the second quarter of the twenty-first century with per capita incomes on a trajectory that implies substantially slower catch-up toward advanced-economy living standards than they previously experienced. Without course corrections, most low-income countries are unlikely to graduate to middle-income status by the middle of the century. Policy action at both global and national levels is needed to foster a more favorable external environment, enhance macroeconomic stability, reduce structural constraints, address the effects of climate change, and thus accelerate long-term growth and development.Publication Global Economic Prospects, June 2025(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-06-10)The global economy is facing another substantial headwind, emanating largely from an increase in trade tensions and heightened global policy uncertainty. For emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs), the ability to boost job creation and reduce extreme poverty has declined. Key downside risks include a further escalation of trade barriers and continued policy uncertainty. These challenges are exacerbated by subdued foreign direct investment into EMDEs. Global cooperation is needed to restore a more stable international trade environment and scale up support for vulnerable countries grappling with conflict, debt burdens, and climate change. Domestic policy action is also critical to contain inflation risks and strengthen fiscal resilience. To accelerate job creation and long-term growth, structural reforms must focus on raising institutional quality, attracting private investment, and strengthening human capital and labor markets. Countries in fragile and conflict situations face daunting development challenges that will require tailored domestic policy reforms and well-coordinated multilateral support.