The rising number of older persons in Asia has accentuated the importance of strengthening the systems of social protection in the region. This book examines the effectiveness and relevance of noncontributory or social pensions in supporting older persons in Asia.

It discusses the political economy and financial sustainability of social pension reform, implications for gender equity and social rights, and design and implementation challenges. Case studies from Bangladesh, Nepal, Thailand, Viet Nam, and South Caucasus and Central Asia provide key lessons for informing development policy and practice in Asia and the Pacific.

     <Contents>

• Foreword
• The Challenge of Rapid Aging: Development of Social Pensions in Asia
• The Political Economy of Social Pension Reform in Asia
• Social Pensions for the Elderly in Asia: Fiscal Costs and Financing Methods
• The Design and Implementation of Social Pensions for Older Persons in Asia
• Gender and Old-Age Pension Protection in Asia
• Providing Social Security in Old Age: The International Labour Organization View
• Development of the Old-Age Allowance System in Thailand: Challenges and Policy Implications
• Social Pensions in Viet Nam: Status and Recommendations for Policy Responses
• Overview of the Old Age Allowance Programme in Bangladesh
• Nepal’s Senior Citizens’ Allowance: A Model of Universalism in a Low-Income Country Context 
• Social Protection for Older People in Central Asia and the South Caucasus
• Social Transfers for Older Persons: Implications for Policy, Practice, and Research
• References