El Diario (26.01.2021) The most outstanding novelties of this extension of the ERTE until May 31st, are based on facilitating administrative procedures, such as to go from an ERTE of limitation to one of impediment and vice versa, as well as that it is not necessary to re-process the unemployment benefits of workers affected by the extension.

El Diario (26.01.2021) If you are in a vulnerable situation and your landlord is a "large landlord", you can request a postponement of the payment of the rent until May 9. This new decree extends the possibility of requesting a "temporary and extraordinary" postponement if the following conditions: that the tenant is in a situation of vulnerability caused by the coronavirus crisis and that the owner has more than ten properties.

El Diario (26.01.2021) From February the access to the so-called 'unemployment' aid for the self-employed created due to the pandemic will be extended until May 31. There are some changes, among them the requirement of a drop in income from 75% to 50% is relaxed in order to access severance benefits. The requirement of having to have been a beneficiary of the extraordinary benefit for cessation of activity until June 30, during the first state of alarm, in order to benefit from these aid, a criterion that had generated a protection gap, is also abolished .

El Diario (26.01.2021) The Government has approved this Tuesday a macro-decree with the extension of several labor and social protection measures, part of the so-called 'social shield' against the pandemic. The Council of Ministers has extended the current ERTE model due to COVID practically without changes until next May 31, after Easter, which will also be the new limit for 'unemployment' aid for the self-employed. The ERTE scheme articulated last September is maintained until May 31st, 2021: those aimed at the 'ultra-protected' sectors (considered most affected by the pandemic)

The Edition (21.01.2021) The United Nations (UN) and Maldives on Thursday signed a project document on digitialising social services in order to better protect women and girls from poverty and violence during emergency situations.

ideasforindia.in (21.01.2021) Urban slum-dwellers are among the groups that are most at-risk of Covid-19, and their precarious situation is further compounded by rampant misinformation regarding the Virus. Based on a survey of about 4,000 households in slum areas in Uttar Pradesh, this article shows that recorded phone messages from doctors giving information on Covid-19 – along with high financial incentives to pay attention – can debunk related fake news.

The Guardian (25.01.2021) Women and young workers bear brunt of job losses and reductions in hours, says UN labour body

The Guardian Nigeria News (20.01.2021) - No fewer than One million Nigerians are to benefit from the Federal Government’s COVID-19 Cash Transfer Project which aims to lift the urban poor affected by the pandemic out of poverty. The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, said this on Tuesday in Abuja while inaugurating the COVID-19 Rapid Response Registration (RRR) Cash Transfer Project.

EURACTIV.com (14.01.2021) The Spanish government is ready to approve before Friday (15 January) an extension of temporary lay-off schemes put in place March last year to protect jobs for around 800,000 workers affected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the tourism and services sectors. Under the scheme, the Spanish state gives workers about 70% of their salary and prohibits companies from firing people. In case of fraud or redundancies, companies must return exemptions from contributions to the social security system and risk heavy penalties.

worldbank.org (12/01/2021)

The World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors approved today a US$246 million new project to provide emergency cash transfers and access to social services to approximately 786,000 poor and vulnerable Lebanese reeling under the pressure of Lebanon’s economic and COVID-19 crises. The Emergency Crisis and COVID-19 Response Social Safety Net Project (ESSN) will also support the development of a comprehensive national social safety nets system to allow a better response to ongoing and future shocks.