Combating poverty and social exclusion remain high on the policy agenda in all countries within and outside the OECD. But fostering individual and social development requires more than that. A wide range of issues from employment, trade and labour standards, health, family, gender-equity to education and population ageing needs to be addressed.

What's new

ILO Working Party on Social Dimensions of Globalisation

18-Nov-2008

In his remarks, Mr  Gurría highlighted the outcomes of the G-20 meeting where leaders called on a better collaboration between international organisations to support governments’ work on policies to overcome the crisis and lead the global economy back to sustainable growth.

Income inequality and poverty rising in most OECD countries

21-Oct-2008

Income gaps have widened over the past two decades in three-fourths of OECD countries. In today’s changing world economy, that means ever more people at risk of being left behind. According to Secretary-General Angel Gurria, “Ensuring growth for all, not just the rich, is the task we must set for ourselves.” Governments need not sit on the sidelines: they should respond to income inequality with policies that help lift people up.

OECD takes up the torch of gender equality and women’s empowerment

21-May-2008

On 21/5/08 the Swedish Minister for Development Co-operation Gunilla Carlsson presented MDG3 champion torches to the OECD’s Secretary-General, Angel Gurría, and to the Chair of the DAC, Eckhard Deutscher. The presentation was part of the Danish government’s MDG3 Global Call to Action to increase international support and investments in the achievement of gender equality and women's empowerment (MDG3). The last of 100 torches will be presented to the UN Secretary-General on 25 September.

The OECD Family database is LIVE

28-May-2008

The Family database (via www.oecd.org/els/social/family/database) is being developed to include cross-national information on family outcomes and policies as categorised under 4 broad headings: the structure of families, families and children, the labour market position of families, public policies for families and children, and child outcomes.
Development of the database is an ongoing process, the first batch of indicators on policies and outcomes has been released.
If you would like to be informed when the database is updated and extended regularly, please click here .

OECD promotes the economic and social benefits of gender equity

07-Mar-2008

Family-friendly workplace practices and attention to gender equity in hiring and management help to improve productivity and economic performance, OECD studies show. To mark International Women's Day, OECD is highlighting aspects of its work on gender issues and promoting diversity in its workforce.

Education key to boosting job prospects for disadvantaged New Zealand youth, says OECD

20-Feb-2008

New Zealand should encourage young people to stay in school past the age of 16 in order to boost their chances of finding a job, according to a new OECD report.

Modernising Social Policy for the New Life Course

14-Feb-2008

For decades, social policy interventions were limited to assist and insure against a limited number of well-defined risks. However, the social order based on standard employment relations, the male breadwinner model and social security in defined but exceptional circumstances, has changed.

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