Thumbnail Image

Social protection: effective and inclusive response and recovery in the context of COVID-19 in Africa

Year of publication 2020

Place of publication Accra, Ghana ;

Pages 11p.

Author FAO

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet

ISBN 978-92-5-132592-6

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) COVID-19 poses significant challenges to an already strained rural context in Africa. The growing direct impact of COVID-19 is affecting health, in terms of morbidity and mortality, as well as quickly overburdening health care services with negative repercussions for non-COVID related health problems. But even before COVID-19 had spread in Africa, the socio economic impact was felt. The sharp decline in demand and production from the most economically developed countries where contagion had initially hit hardest – China, European Union and the United States of America – has caused a global recession, with direct repercussions in Africa. With the spread of the virus across the continent, containment measures including social distancing, closing of schools, the prohibition of gatherings, closure or limitations on non-essential businesses and economic activities, and border closures may have devastating consequences. These impacts further exacerbate a situation of increasing rates of hunger and poverty, as well as challenges affecting rural areas, including the desert locust outbreak, fall army warm impacts, early droughts, conflict and insecurity. The disruption of traditional transhumance patterns and the creation of new ones may lead to tensions and local displacement, and increased levels of poverty and food insecurity. Despite these challenges, the region has also made important progress in terms of prioritizing social protection as a core component of poverty reduction and rural development strategies, including in the context of the Malabo Declaration and Agenda 2063. This is a critical moment to scale up these efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and support longer-term recovery for vulnerable populations.

See the full list of policy briefs related to COVID-19.

Cite this content as:

FAO. 2020. ​Social protection: effective and inclusive response and recovery in the context of COVID-19 in Africa. Accra.

https://doi.org/10.4060/ca8988en

Language English

Also available in:
No results found.

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Thumbnail Image
    Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet
    Economic inclusion and social protection to reduce poverty (COVID-19 Response and Recovery programme)
    Rural social protection in Africa
    2021
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    This action sheet is part of a series of action sheets developed under the seven key priority areas of the FAO COVID-19 Response and Recovery programme, the FAO umbrella programme designed to proactively and sustainably address the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic. Each action sheet includes a project proposal in support of countries most in need for which FAO is leveraging high-level political, financial and technical expertise. All action sheets are gathered on the Food Coalition web hub,  where members of the Coalition - a multi-stakeholder global alliance for a unified global action in response to COVID-19 -  can access the can easily access the action sheet project-focused information and data as well as the funding gap on the ground, the type of assistance that would be required and decide how they wish to contribute: through voluntary contributions, provision of expert and expertise, innovative solutions and an exchange of knowledge and experience.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet
    FAO COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme - Economic inclusion and social protection to reduce poverty
    Pro-poor COVID-19 responses for an inclusive post-pandemic economic recovery
    2020
    Also available in:
    The COVID-19 pandemic is, directly and indirectly, impacting health and well-being around the globe. Illness and containment measures are compounding the social and economic disadvantages of the most vulnerable in society. These social and economic impacts stand to cause devastating setbacks to efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Pervasive inequalities between rural and urban inhabitants, rich and poor, women and men will exacerbate these effects. People in areas impacted by severe climate change, conflict, forced displacement, and migration will be even more vulnerable. Vulnerable groups include rural women, youth and children, indigenous people, the elderly, and people with disabilities. The COVID-19 pandemic has also significantly affected migrants, including refugees and internally displaced people, casual labourers and seasonal migrants, all of whom are exposed to high risk of infection. Economic recovery programmes that do not address these inequalities and place emphasis on pro-poor recovery plans run the risk of reinforcing inequalities in the future. Social protection will be expanded to better reach women, children, informal workers, migrants, and other underserved groups. Integrate rural areas into risk-informed and shock-responsive social-protection components, linked with early warning, conflict-sensitive programming, and climate adaptation.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Policy brief
    Policy Brief: Developing shock responsive social protection systems to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, facilitate speedy recovery and strengthen the resilience of vulnerable people in ASEAN 2021
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    In 2020, the corona virus spread around the globe, and its containment measures resulted in unprecedented socio-economic impacts. ASEAN region’s economy is estimated to experience a decline between 3.5 and 4.7 per cent for 2020. The restrictions to contain the virus spread, although necessary, hit many households income, particularly of the most vulnerable. Yet other disasters have continued to hit the region. Convergence of the impacts of compounded shocks from multiple hazards, can push vulnerable households into deeper or prolonged deprivation and poverty. Social protection is a core part of the efforts to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, facilitate speedy recovery and strengthen the resilience of poor and vulnerable people. Governments have been rolling out social protection at an unprecedented scale in response to COVID-19. Well established social protection systems are an important part of any adequate crisis response. The COVID-19 pandemic is changing rapidly, while having immediate as well as medium- and long-term cumulative impacts on economies. Social protection has shown its relevance and positive impact in the initial phases of the crisis. The next phases, particularly during recovery to build back better, provide an opportunity to expand the role of social protection in a transition toward equitable, green and sustainable economies, while building more risk-informed, shock responsive and resilient social protection systems in ASEAN.
Show more

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

No results found.