This policy brief examines child poverty trends and the expansion of social protection programs in Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It concludes with recommendations for strengthening these interventions to effectively address child poverty, especially in times of crisis. Read the full policy brief.
We monitored the progress on the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) in Western Balkan countries.
This report summarises insights gained during the peer review hosted by the Republic of North Macedonia. It aims at further sharing the main challenges faced discussed during the peer review with a wider audience.
The policy brief on mutual learning in social welfare in the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership region is now available. This policy brief presents key findings of the mutual learning activities implemented by the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research together with its Bridge Building (BB) countries for the period 2021-2024 and shares insights on participants’ lessons learnt.
The European Centre organised the first ‘Bridge Building in Social Welfare Policy’ Workshop with the European Centre’s National Liaison Officials (NLOs) in Vienna, in April 2018.
Research carried out by the European Centre had already shown pervasive inequalities in access to care as well as in the coverage of health insurance and potential remedies. The Covid-19 crisis brings the evidence to the headlines of the news that social inequalities and the dismantling of health and social welfare systems are killing people. The current crisis also shows that health and social care are not a ‘product’ which can be produced low-cost and provided to those with sufficiently large incomes only.
InCARE has launched a third national factsheet on long-term care in North Macedonia. The team found that availability and affordability remain major barriers in accessing formal care services in North Macedonia. Many individuals have felt obligated to provide care despite negative impacts on their health and career. There are also strong preferences for formal care…