Government of New Caledonia (16.07.2020) The government has instituted an exceptional increase in family benefits for the salaried worker who has had no other solution, due to the closure of nurseries and schools as of March 19, 2020, than to stay at home to keep their child (ren) under 16 and suffered as a result a loss of wages. The increase amounts to 60 points (about 22,785 francs) for the period 20 to 31 March 2020 and 120 points (about 45,570 francs) for the period from 1 st to April 3 and April 20 to 30 (gradual reopening of schools in groups).

Government of New Caledonia (16.07.2020) Covid-19 allowance has been extended for companies durably affected by the health crisis for a period of three months, from 1 st June 2020 to 31 August 2020 with the possibility of extending it for another three months. The amount is 100% of the salary for employees remunerated at the guaranteed minimum hourly wage of the sector of activity concerned, and 70% of the last gross salary within the limit of 4.5 times the minimum wage in other cases.

Deutsche Rentenvrsicherung (02.07.2020) On July 2, Germany’s parliament approved a law that will introduce an income-tested basic pension (Grundrente) on January 1, 2021, to supplement the country’s social insurance old-age pension (beneficiaries should have at least 35 years of basic-pension years of contributions). This new program is intended to reduce the risk of old-age poverty among individuals who had below-average earnings in their working lives or spent considerable time outside the labor force. The program is expected to benefit roughly 1.3 million pensioners in Germany, including many women (around 70 percent of the potential beneficiaries) and pensioners in eastern Germany, and is estimated to cost €1.3 billion (US$1.46 billion) per year beginning in 2021. The government will finance the total cost of the basic pension by increasing its subsidy to the social insurance program. 

Martinique Regional Health Agency (30.03.2020) From Monday March 30, healthcare professionals will be able to carry out teleconsultations more easily with the “ Médiconsult ” tool . After the patient's call, the doctor suggests an appointment for a teleconsultation. The patient then receives an SMS and an email with the time of the appointment. At the agreed time, the patient connects, using SMS or email, and finds himself in touch with the professional. In this case, the doctor can exchange documents with the patient and send him a prescription via the tool in a secure manner.

The BG BAU (Berufsgenossenschaft der Bauwirtschaft/construction industry) provides various information material for protection against corona. Please find attached the links to the different materials. (Attention: Most of them only exist in German).

Die BG BAU (Berufsgenossenschaft der Bauwirtschaft) stellt verschiedenes Informationsmaterial zum Schutz vor Corona zur Verfügung. Im Folgenden finden Sie die Links zu den verschiedenen Materialien.

Guideline documents regarding the performance of risks assessment:

Services (in German)
https://www.bgbau.de/fileadmin/Medien-Objekte/Medien/Gefaehrdungsbeurteilung/2020-03-20_Kurzhandlungshilfe_GB_Handwerker_im_Kundendienst_SARS-CoV-2.pdf

Construction (in German)
https://www.bgbau.de/fileadmin/Medien-Objekte/Medien/Gefaehrdungsbeurteilung/2020-03-20_Kurzhandlungshilfe_GB_Baustellen_SARS-CoV-2.pdf

Cleaners (in German)
https://www.bgbau.de/fileadmin/Medien-Objekte/Medien/Gefaehrdungsbeurteilung/BG_BAU_GefBeurt_Coronavirus.pdf

About face masks:

Decision guidance: Face masks (in German)
https://www.bgbau.de/fileadmin/Medien-Objekte/Medien/Aushang_Poster/Atemschutz_und_Corona_V3-Az1_BG_BAU_Layout_2.pdf

Booklet:

Pandemic influenza planning (in German)
https://www.bgbau.de/fileadmin/Medien-Objekte/Medien/Broschuere_Flyer/10_Tipps_zur_Pandemieplanung.pdf

Posters:

Use masks properly (in German)
https://www.bgbau.de/fileadmin/Medien-Objekte/Medien/Aushang_Poster/Mund-Nasen-Schutz_richtig_Tragen_A2_mit_Text_V1.pdf  

Hygiene poster (13 languages)
https://www.bgbau.de/service/angebote/medien-center-suche/medium/hygieneplakat-der-bg-bau/                  

Essential rules for cleaners (in German)
https://www.bgbau.de/fileadmin/Medien-Objekte/Medien/Aushang_Poster/BGBAU_LebenswichtigeRegeln_Gebaeudereiniger_DINA3_ohneBeschnitt.pdf

The scientific community's understanding of how the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spreads is evolving. This COVID-19 Clearinghouse was established as a central resource for construction employers and workers to find the latest research, guidance documents, training and other resources to help prevent the spread of the disease as construction work continues in some markets and starts up in others.

This website  of the  Special Commission on Prevention presents international examples in 5 languages for small and medium sized enterprises in almost all areas of occupational safety and health. A new topical cluster on Corona has now been set up to support small and medium-sized companies on how to adress the COVID-19 at the workplace.

vccinews.com (15.06.2020) In the context of a drop in the number of persons insured to the complusory social insurance system, Viet Nam Social Security took steps to address this. This resulted in an increase of the number of people buying voluntary social insurance increased as the VSS cooperated with the Vietnam Post Office for the first time to launch the “Universal Social Insurance” Month across the nation May 23, 2020. Two days later (May 23 and 24), 30,017 people bought voluntary social insurance and 4,734 more people bought household health insurance.

vss.gov.vn( 26.03.2020) In order to strengthen prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic and limit the spread of the disease especially to those who are at high risk or suffering from underlying diseases, chronic diseases, Hanoi Social Security has just sent an official dispatch to facilities of medical examination and treatment with health insurance in the area, proposing coordination in the implementation of a number of regulations in outpatient examination and dispensing of medicines. When the patients diagnosed with chronic diseases come for medical examination or re-examination by appointment, the health insurance facilities must provide the outpatients with medicine for at least two months.

vss.gov.vn (29.03.2020) Due to the epidemic, if the employers were subject to change its production or business structure or technology, they will be assisted in funding for training and retraining to improve occupational skills and qualifications to maintain employment for workers when fully satisfying the regulated conditions with a maximum support level of 01 million dong  for one person per month. The specific support level is calculated by the month and the actual training time of each job or each course, which cannot exceed 6 months.

as.com (20.07.2020) La entrega del nuevo bono "Cuidar y Cuidarse" comenzó el pasado de julio y se entregara de manera directa y gradual. El bono es una entrega de 900.000 bolívares y corresponde a más de dos salarios mínimos. Este bono es el decimosegundo bono de protección social que se entrega a la población durante la cuarentena.

as.com (26.07.2020) Un nuevo bono ha salido a la luz en Venezuela, el bono "Padre Bolívar" en honor a Simón Bolívar. Este bono comenzó a entregarse el pasado 24 de julio y estará vigente hasta el 31 de julio. El monto es de 1.000.000 bolívares.

Réunion Region (18.05.2020) This fund is part of a principle of subsidiarity, in addition to the other mechanisms operated by the State and the local authorities, and must allow “last resort” intervention. It is therefore mobilized if: • the applicant does not have access to a bank loan or to other support tools offered by the State, the Region (rebound loan) or other communities, • the other support tools did not meet the cash flow requirements.

It is an Advance of 10,000 € - repayable in 3 years, including 1 year deferred No Guarantee - Interest rate = 0%

Réunion region (02.07.2020)With the objective of strengthening the cash flow of SMEs affected by the crisis, in the amount of € 30K to € 300K, this aid takes the form of a zero-interest loan and is open to SMEs potentially created for more than a year (with at least 1 balance sheet) This fund allows SMEs to have facilities and the possibility of seeing coming with:  2 years deferred repayment, 0% interest rate, and  No administration fees.

Réunion region (13.04.2020) To support small Reunion Island companies in the implementation of teleworking and encourage their digital transition, the Region has decided to strengthen its “Digital Check” so that it responds more effectively to current needs. Thus, the procedures are simplified and the subsidy rate goes from 50% to 80% (the subsidy ceiling going from € 2,000 to € 3,200). Projects can now include consulting and data security services to support companies in the implementation of teleworking. 

Réunion region (13.04.2020) Regional solidarity fund, the amount of which varies from 1000 to 2500 €, benefits Reunion VSEs, micro-entrepreneurs and independent professions included. It is open to companies with less than 10 employees whose turnover is less than € 500,000 and which, during the confinement period , have been forced to close or have suffered a loss of turnover of up to minus 20%.

The subsidy will be allocated on a lump sum basis per segment of turnover (turnover):
Turnover <50,000 euros ⇒ 1,000.00 €
50,001 euros <Turnover <150,000 euros ⇒ 1,500.00 €
150,001 euros <Turnover < 250,000 euros ⇒ 2,000.00 €
250,001 euros <Turnover <500,000 euros ⇒ 2,500.00 €

State services in Reunion Island (23.07.2020) In the current context of emerging from the crisis and resumption of activity, the Petrel plan (Priorities and gathering for local employment in Reunion Island) has been revised and updated in order to best respond to the integration difficulties of the most vulnerable groups. distant from employment and to the recruitment needs of companies. As part of this revision, by decree dated July 20, 2020, Jacques Billant, Prefect of Reunion Island, extended the system of free jobs to people who are coming out of other integration pathways, and more particularly those in favor of disabled workers. This extension marks the State's desire to mobilize this mechanism for the return to employment, in the commercial sector, of the most vulnerable people.

REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GUADELOUPE (16.07.2020) The Guadeloupe Region informs students and high school students who have not been able to complete their internship application file online within the framework of the "Regional Internship: Youth in Company" device due to the health situation that they are exceptionally invited to send the documents constituting the file by e-mail to the following address: srje@cr-guadeloupe.fr no later than Thursday 23 July 2020.

REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GUADELOUPE (22.04.2020) This system takes the form of a refundable advance, without guarantee and at zero rate for an amount between 3,000 and 15,000 € per company, corresponding to 12.5% ​​of the turnover achieved in 2018, and for newly created companies , 12.5% ​​of the turnover achieved since the start of the activity, without exceeding 1 year. This advance will be repayable over a period of 5 years with a grace period of two years. This aid applies to companies with a maximum annual turnover of € 180,000.

A new generation of government-to-person (G2P) payment systems is emerging in Africa, Asia and the Pacific.

As described in CGAP’s new publication, “The Future of G2P Payments: Expanding Customer Choice,” modern approaches of transferring cash assistance can reduce costs for governments, significantly improve recipients’ access to payments and bring digital G2P one step closer to becoming the large-scale conduit for financial inclusion that observers have always hoped it would be.

The main difference between these new systems and traditional approaches to digital G2P is that they give people greater choice over how to receive government payments.

We see an opportunity for G2P recipients to receive better payment services from providers they trust and value — an important first step for a sustained financial inclusion journey.

Many low-income country governments have begun to digitize government-to-person (G2P) payments by making electronic transfers directly into the accounts of individual customers.

While digitization has helped to fill the gaps in delivery, further advances are needed. Building modern payments systems can: Improve the customer experience by allowing customers to choose which providers and accounts they use to receive funds; they have a wider array of service points from which to withdraw cash; and they can switch providers.

Lower delivery costs for governments and reduce leakage. Introduce incentives to provide good service for financial service providers who must compete for customer business.

This Focus Note explores the core idea behind future-ready G2P payments, lays out its advantages and challenges, and describes how governments can create modern G2P payments systems. It draws heavily from ongoing efforts in Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia.

This note describes the main strategies used by, and available to, countries to deliver cash support in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of the note is to inform both ongoing responses to COVID-19 and medium to long term investments in delivery mechanisms that could be used to respond to future crises.

In detail, it builds on existing literature (see Box 1 for full references) to provide governments and development partners with concise information on the main payment options available, outlining strengths and weaknesses of each, as well as pre-requisites and key actions required for their inclusive implementation.

It is important to highlight that this note focuses on:

• the provision of cash support to new beneficiaries, not existing ones. Reaching new caseloads is more challenging than supporting existing beneficiaries since it requires creating new payment mechanisms or adapting/leveraging existing ones.
• monetary or semi-monetary transfers (vouchers), not in-kind;
• Government to Person (G2P) transfers and Humanitarian cash delivery (noting considerations will differ slightly across the two);
• social assistance transfers primarily, not social insurance.

The Informal Workers and Social Protection background note outlines the options for providing social protection to informal workers, with a particular focus on the implications for COVID-19 response and urban settings.

In order to do so, it provides information on the impacts of COVID-19 on earnings and wellbeing among informal economy workers, considering the opportunities the crisis presents for reform to more efficiently link informal workers with social protection systems.

Given the extent to which COVID-19 has affected urban livelihoods, this analysis focuses primarily on challenges faced by urban informal workers. Of course, much of it also applies to informal workers in rural areas, particularly those who are not involved in agriculture (e.g. household enterprises).

It is essential to understand ‘Who’ will be affected, ‘Where’, ‘How’ and ‘When’ to better understand the ‘What’ of the social protection response to COVID-19.

Social protection is recognised as an essential mechanism to reach those who are in urgent need because of the COVID-19 crisis, and efforts are under way to scale up systems, so they can be ‘shock responsive’. What is needed next, however, is a much more disaggregated view, based on an understanding of who will be affected, how, and when so as to better understand the ‘what’ of the social protection response. While ultimately country-level assessments will be most useful for specific policy recommendations, this note sets out a framework for some of the key considerations.

The main takeaway from this note is that it is essential to first understand which livelihood groups are most likely to (i) be severely impacted and (ii) lack the resilience to withstand such an acute shock.

It is very likely that in many places, this will not necessarily be the same as either the usual social protection caseload or the target population for ‘business as usual’ humanitarian assistance. This will require innovative thinking in terms of how to reach those who are most in need, as: •

• ‘Vertical’ expansions of existing programmes (topping up what current recipients receive)would not solve the problem of reaching those most affected by COVID-19. 
• Well-designed expansion of coverage will be needed, either via ‘horizontal expansions’ of existing programmes or new programmes that leverage (‘piggyback on’) existing systems to the extent possible1 . These new programmes may be led by the social protection sector or other actors (e.g. humanitarians). Either way, targeting will need to be considered very carefully, as even where social registries are in place, they may systematically exclude those most in need as a result of COVID-19 (depending on their design and implementation ).

For further details, Annex A discusses the context and channels of impact, while Annex B looks at the ‘who’, ‘where’, ‘how’, and ‘when’ of these impacts. The following sections discuss the main insights from the more in-depth analysis contained in Annex B.

This document provides key considerations and examples of how gender and social inclusion (GESI) can be integrated into potential COVID-19 response options/strategies via existing social protection and / or humanitarian programmes (or a hybrid approach, leveraging social protection delivery systems and capacity). It aims to highlight key considerations for integrating GESI into social protection design and operation, in an effort to increase wellbeing and dignity, while minimising potential negative effects on vulnerable populations.

This document links to the SPACE Strategy Decision Matrix and Delivery Systems Matrix, providing further detail on GESI issues for both documents.

There are potential trade-offs between design and implementation options that will need to be decided in each context according to programming objectives and priorities. In addition, not all options will be feasible or desirable in every context.

However, the aim is to build on existing gender-sensitive social protection features and ensure that i) GESI issues have been strategically considered across all the potential options, ii) that all social protection responses will, at a minimum, be GESI-sensitive and not exacerbate gender and social inequalities, and iii) that longer-term objectives of equality and empowerment are considered and, where possible, factored in to immediate responses, as well as considering how to ensure inclusive medium-to longer-term recovery.

The document is divided into two parts:

1. Impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on vulnerable groups.
2. Social protection strategy decision matrix – considerations for integrating GESI into social protection responses.