Thread by @IPC_IG

1. #SriLanka has been successful in its fight against #COVID19 w/ only 9 deaths and 1,027 cases confirmed as of 18 May. The gov. quickly mobilized resources through a special fund and strengthened state-funded universal health care services @WHOSEARO. See tinyurl.com/y7pbpfcy

@WHOSEARO 2. It adopted a strict curfew on 20 March, reaching an Oxford #StringencyIndex of 100 with the closure of business and schools and adoption of curfew. Lately, the country has relaxed some of these measures with a view to reopening business @uniofoxford. bit.ly/2WI57JW

@WHOSEARO @UniofOxford 3. #SocialProtection programmes were adapted to help families cope with the effects of the curfew. Several programmes experienced horizontal and vertical expansion and changes in implementation features to respond to the #COVID19 crisis. See tinyurl.com/yb6uy9rc @SP_Gateway

@WHOSEARO @UniofOxford @SP_Gateway 4. An example of adaptation to the #COVID19 crisis was the adoption of home delivery for Thriposha food and nutritional supplements programme. A programme that aims to improve the nutrition status of children and pregnant and lactating women @MoH_SriLanka

bit.ly/2yiRPKv

@WHOSEARO @UniofOxford @SP_Gateway @MoH_SriLanka 5. For economic support, the Gov first announced a loan of LKR 5,000 (USD 27) to #Samurdhi benef. They'd receive a 6-month grace period with the possibility to pay back the loan in 1.5 years. Then the Gov decided to make it a pure one-off #CashTransfers.

bit.ly/2XmlzyH

@WHOSEARO @UniofOxford @SP_Gateway @MoH_SriLanka 6. Indebting Sri Lankas' poor would have prevent their and the country's recovery. In fact, by 15 May, out of 870 #SocialProtection measures identified by @Ugentilini and Pamela Dale, #CashTransfers corresponded to 46%. No loan schemes was mapped (see bit.ly/2X8SEhd).

@WHOSEARO @UniofOxford @SP_Gateway @MoH_SriLanka @Ugentilini 7. #Samurdhi recipients and those in the waiting list were granted a one-off transfer of LKR 5,000. In total, 2.4 Mi hh received this #EmergencyBenefit through the Samurdhi database, which corresponds to 44.4% of the country's households. @ValentinaBarca_

bit.ly/3g3Bfz2

@WHOSEARO @UniofOxford @SP_Gateway @MoH_SriLanka @Ugentilini @ValentinaBarca_ 8. The Gov announced a LKR 5,000 #CashTransfers for the beneficiaires of the senior citizen, disability, chronic (kidney) diseases allowances, farmer's pension and for those in the waiting list of these 4 programmes. This scheme covered 797,635 people.

bit.ly/2XfL4Bs

@WHOSEARO @UniofOxford @SP_Gateway @MoH_SriLanka @Ugentilini @ValentinaBarca_ 9. The Gov also announced that those affected by the #COVID19 but not covered by the abovementioned categories would also receive the LKR 5,000 #CashTransfers. A total of 1,924,967 families were identified as eligible by local government authorities.

bit.ly/3dXrCjy

@WHOSEARO @UniofOxford @SP_Gateway @MoH_SriLanka @Ugentilini @ValentinaBarca_ 10. The Gov of #SriLanka stated that 5,144,046 recipients were paid in April and announced the intention to pay this group a second time the LKR 5,000 benefit in May and extend further the coverage of the #emergencybenefits. @WBG_SPLabor @soc_protection

bit.ly/2ZmqvWz

@WHOSEARO @UniofOxford @SP_Gateway @MoH_SriLanka @Ugentilini @ValentinaBarca_ @WBG_SPLabor @soc_protection 11. #SriLanka shock-response combined vertical expansion of the value of the transfer for Samurdhi benef. and horizontal expansion of coverage using both the registry of poverty-based and #SocialAssistance programmes as well as on-demand registration for those not included.

@WHOSEARO @UniofOxford @SP_Gateway @MoH_SriLanka @Ugentilini @ValentinaBarca_ @WBG_SPLabor @soc_protection 12. #SriLanka is due to have one of the highest coverage of the population among #DevelopingCountries. It is hard to measure it precisely as the categories may overlap since some are hh-based and others individual-based. But it is likely to be well above 60% of the population.

@WHOSEARO @UniofOxford @SP_Gateway @MoH_SriLanka @Ugentilini @ValentinaBarca_ @WBG_SPLabor @soc_protection 13. Given the #poverty impacts of the crisis and low level of #Samurdhi transfers as shown in this @TweetIHD study: bit.ly/2ZkHRDu, it would be advisable to (1) make permanent the increase in the value of the benefit as proposed by @IPC_IG: bit.ly/2zRwxnJ and...

@WHOSEARO @UniofOxford @SP_Gateway @MoH_SriLanka @Ugentilini @ValentinaBarca_ @WBG_SPLabor @soc_protection @TweetIHD 14. (2) increase the Samurdhi programme coverage and/or (3) move progressively towards universal programmes such as universal child benefit. These changes would increase coverage of the "missing middle" and SP shock-responsivennes as suggested in bit.ly/2AFevVW.

@WHOSEARO @UniofOxford @SP_Gateway @MoH_SriLanka @Ugentilini @ValentinaBarca_ @WBG_SPLabor @soc_protection @TweetIHD 15. We would like to thank @UNICEF_SriLanka for its contribution to the writing of this twitter thread.

@WHOSEARO @UniofOxford @SP_Gateway @MoH_SriLanka @Ugentilini @ValentinaBarca_ @WBG_SPLabor @soc_protection @TweetIHD @UNICEF_SriLanka 16. A new #webinar series on #SocialProtection in South Asia starts next Thursday, 28 May. The 1st webinar will provide an overview of non-contributory social protection in the region, focused on a child & gender perspective. Register at bit.ly/2LLlhM0. @UNICEFROSA

@WHOSEARO @UniofOxford @SP_Gateway @MoH_SriLanka @Ugentilini @ValentinaBarca_ @WBG_SPLabor @soc_protection @TweetIHD @UNICEF_SriLanka @UNICEFROSA We kindly invite you to read & share this thread on the #SPresponses to the Covid-19 crisis in Sri Lanka: @UNICEFSocPolicy; @UNICEFROSA; @ILOAsiaPacific; @UNDPasiapac; @WorldBankSAsia; @ADBSocial; @DevPathways; @DFID_Inclusive