Pension systems and prospects in Asia and the Pacific

There is a diversity of pension systems in the Asia and Pacific region. A growing number of countries have social insurance pension schemes, but many others which have provident funds have not set up any mandatory pension system at all. Demographic, social and economic changes mean the need for a regular income in old age will increase enormously. Existing schemes should be extended to all employees, benefits should meet certain minimum standards, administrative arrangements must adapt to structural change, and the budgeting both of governments and of households must be adjusted to take account of changing age dependency ratios.