UN News (25.02.2021) Job losses or reduced working hours due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic cost the world the equivalent of 255 million jobs in 2020, the UN International Labour Organization (ILO) said on Monday, noting that the “massive impact” was nearly four times the number lost during the 2009 global financial crisis.
Oxfam (Feb 2021) The report shows that COVID-19 has the potential to increase economic inequality in almost every country at once, the first time this has happened since records began over a century ago. Rising inequality means it could take at least 14 times longer for the number of people living in poverty to return to pre-pandemic levels than it took for the fortunes of the top 1,000, mostly White male, billionaires to bounce back.
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
Development Pathways (January 2021) David Hillson takes a look at the recent historical role of the social contract in social protection within the context of COVID-19. He argues that the social contract has been central to huge socio-economic advances and is a product and reflection of each political zeitgeist. David concludes that now is the moment to create an inclusive, universal social protection new normal to help reshape societies during the time of the pandemic and beyond.
brookings.edu (07.01.2021) In the spring of 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated recession, policymakers originated significant expansions to social insurance, including unemployment insurance benefits, refundable tax credits, and paid leave. Because of this expansion, the average household experienced an increase in purchasing power, even as the labor market and employee compensation sharply contracted during the spring of 2020.
The Washington Post (21.12.2020) The biggest concern with the bill is that the aid doesn’t last long enough
weforum.org (06.01.2021)The use of telemedicine has surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Start-up Carbon Health is working to make it accessible to underserved communities. Its founder says it has reduced costs by using technology to improve efficiency. His company uses pop-up clinics to deliver treatments and COVID-19 tests; patients can book appointments using a smartphone app.
World Economic Forum (14.12.2020) China covers the COVID-19 medical costs for all patients including domestic migrants. The payment structure is part of the country’s “wartime” governance. It also reflects the long-term institutional transformation of the Chinese healthcare system.
