Bangladesh : Distributing relief in a pandemic: Lessons learned about digital cash transfers during COVID-19
brac.net (14.05.2020) Almost 18 million people live in extreme poverty in Bangladesh. The impact of COVID-19 on their livelihoods has been catastrophic. Research by BIGD and PPRC shows a 73% drop in income in households living in extreme poverty when measured in the first week of April 2020 compared to two months prior. The biggest challenge during COVID-19 is how to get relief to these people, who often live in hard-to-reach areas.
Opinion - An EU minimum income framework is an urgent safety net after Covid-19
EURACTIV.com (04.06.2020) The upcoming German EU presidency intends to take up an initiative for an EU framework for minimum income systems. Shannon Pfohman looks at what this should look like.
Moldova: Taxes on salaries to be subsidized and recovered
moldpres.md (21.04.2020) According to Sergiu Railean, a string of fiscal, financial and banking measures were proposed to urgently back the business environment, as well as the mechanism of subsidizing the enterprises, in order to preserve the jobs and salaries. „These measures imply subsidies, postponements of taxes and duties, cutting the basic rate on loans. Thus, the salary taxes of the employees whose work was ceased following the decisions taken within the emergency state will be fully subsidized from the public budget.
Moldova: More Moldovan employees infected with COVID-19 to benefit from one-off allowances
moldpres.md (13.05.2020) The government will allocate over 6.5 million lei from the intervention fund to the Interior Ministry for providing one-off allowances to employees infected with COVID-19 during the fulfillment of the job duties, as well as to the Health, Labour and Social Protection Ministry and local public administration authorities for the providing of one-off allowances to the medical system employees infected with COVID-19.
Germany's stimulus package helps consumers and companies
Reuters (04.06.2020) German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition on Wednesday agreed on a stimulus package worth 130 billion euros ($146 billion) to help companies and workers in Europe’s largest economy recover more quickly from the coronavirus pandemic.
- Parents will get a cash handout of 300 euros per child. This costs 4.3 billion euros.
IMF: Why social safety nets should be extended long after lockdown
World Economic Forum (19.06.2020) When the Great Lockdown finally ends, a strong economic recovery that benefits everyone will depend on improved social safety nets and broad-based fiscal support, writes the IMF. From being more generous to the poorest, to helping people find jobs, here are three attributes of a good social safety net.
Chad: plus de 1600 agents de santé seront recrutés
tchadmedia.com (14.04.2020)
Le Chef de l’Etat Idriss Déby Itno a instruit le recrutement immédiat de 1638 agents de santé avec indemnités dans le cadre de la lutte contre le Coronavirus.
Chad: Free water and electricity
tchadmedia.com (14.04.2020)
In an announcement to the nation on 14 April 2020, the President of the Chadian Republic decided to pay the water company's bills for six months and electricity bills for three months from 1 April 2020 (for domestic uses only).
Across EU, temporary layoff schemes no cure-all in slow COVID recovery
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.