The chair organization, KOSHA, begins to set up a work plan for 2012  in close collaboration with vice-chair organizations, ASSE, DGUV, FIOH,  INRS, and NSCI. KOSHA is looking foreword to have inputs from its member  organization. This work plan will be discussed at its bureau meeting during the 30th  International Congress on Occupational Health from 18-23 March 2012 in Cancun, Mexico.   Provisional activities 2012 ...

The ISSA has initiated a Good Practice Award programme to recognize good practices in the administration of social security. The ISSA Good Practice Awards are given out on a regional basis over a three-year cycle. One Award, as well as Certificates of Merit as decided by the Jury, are presented at each ISSA Regional Social Security Forum. The winning good practices will also be featured at the World Social Security Forum in Qatar, in 2013. The ...

The agency's research, created by over 30 experts, among them the Institute for Work and Health, Germany, and Munich-Re, suggests that economic incentive schemes encouraging companies to invest in risk prevention are a cost-effective option for governments looking to cut the numbers of work-related accidents and illnesses. The guide is based on the findings of EU-OSHA's European economic incentives project to draw up a practical and user-friendly ...

In a recent report (1 ), the International Labour Office (ILO) stated that “universalizing old-age pensions and child benefits for school children and orphans could reduce poverty by as much as 40 per cent” in Africa. And such cash transfers offer a mechanism to raise disposable income in support of local economic growth.   Millennium Development Goals All UN Members have signed up to the eight MDGs. The goals cover poverty reduction, ...

More awarded photos are available at EU-OSHA's website: http://osha.europa.eu/en/campaigns/competitions/european-photo-competition-2011   "Beginners" - Source: EU-OSHA/Miran Beškovnik Miran Beškovnik won an award in the European Photo Competition hosted by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work with a photo focussing on safety in mining. His work titled "Beginners" shows students preparing to work in ...

The Forum involved almost 250 participants, including ministers, CEOs and senior managers of social security organizations from 35 African countries, and analysed developments in the extension of coverage, the adequacy of benefits and innovation in the use of information and communication technologies. While social security schemes exist in almost all African countries, and many are expanding their reach, a majority of citizens still do not have ...

The report, Africa: A new balance for social security , analyses important recent developments and trends in social security across the continent. The report points to examples and good practices of social security programmes that have successfully extended coverage, including to previously unprotected workers, older persons and families. The report will be presented at the Regional Social Security Forum for Africa, which opens in Arusha, United ...

Importantly for the International Social Security Association (ISSA), this year’s theme also acknowledges the growing emphasis placed by social security programmes on forward-looking and earlier interventions that can improve the lives of people with disabilities. Specifically, social security has a number of roles to play in preventing disabilities, in preventing the aggravation of existing disabilities and in proactively supporting the rehabilitation ...

The ISSA Good Practice Award, which was presented at a ceremony in Arusha on 5 December, was given to the NHIF for its strategic approach to improving its medical benefits package and health-care facilities , which has resulted in greater availability of medical services and an increase in the population which has access to health insurance in the country. The international Jury which selected the winning entries also awarded three Certificates ...

When the financial crisis first struck in 2007, a number of commentators pointed out that it would take its toll not only on employment and pensions, but would also increase health-care costs, in particular by increasing the incidence of mental illness (1 , 2 ). It was reasoned that the crisis would create a more stressful environment and this would have an impact on the mental health of workers. At the same time, any cuts in social security benefit ...