EURACTIV.com (18.05.2020) Temporary unemployment schemes operating across Europe could struggle to save the jobs of leisure and travel sector workers facing drawn-out or partial recoveries from the COVID-19 pandemic, even if they help industries that rebound quickly.

latinamerica.undp.org (May 2020) The growing crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic has dire implications for Latin American societies. As is often the case, the most vulnerable segments of society, especially those living in extreme poverty, are being hit the hardest. This article identifies strategies and specific responses designed to achieve three goals: (1) reduce epidemiological risks to save lives; (2) protect livelihoods; and (3) ensure human capital accumulation. Epidemiological externalities as well as humanitarian concerns demand universal social inclusion. In order to protect the health and lives, livelihoods, and the human capital of the poor and vulnerable, it will be essential to, first, implement targeted and decisive interventions at the local level that go beyond transferring cash; second, allocate adequate amounts of resources to fund income support and these other key interventions; and, third, rely on local actors and grassroots organizations for the interventions to be effective. 

lawafrica.com (May 2020) The purpose of this paper is to examine current state interventions taken to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 using social protection in Uganda in comparison to what is happening in Kenya and South Africa. This paper will also briefly examine the impact of legal framework in supporting the right social protection in COVID-19 responses. Since social protection is wide, the focus shall be on the non-contributory/tax-financed social protection schemes and programs as these relate with supporting rights of the vulnerable sections of the society as opposed to contributory schemes.

Africanews (26.05.2020) Sunday’s announcement by His Excellency President Matamela Ramaphosa in response to the Corona virus epidemic brings much needed hope to the country. It also enables SASSA to accelerate the pace of paying out the COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grant. In terms of the move to level 3 of the lockdown, government services will commence full reopening from 01 June 2020. At the moment SASSA is operating with a third of its staff during level 4 and a move to level 3 will increase human resource capacity drastically so that payments are made quicker than it is the case currently.

SXM TALKS (14.04.2020) The St. Maarten government will start to implement the St. Maarten Support Relief Plan (SSRL) this month.  The main aim of the stimulus plan is to avoid layoffs and prevent companies from going belly-up during the current coronavirus COVID-19 crisis. A key component of the plan is government’s plan to provide a payroll subsidy to the “most affected” businesses to cover up to 80 per cent of their workers’ salaries for a three-month period. Self-employed persons such as independent taxi drivers, vendors, tour operators, and artists, etc., can also benefit from income support.