1/ Acknowledging the critical role of #SocialProtection (SP) in preventing people from falling into poverty & food insecurity as a consequence of the #COVID19 crisis, countries in the #MENA region have implemented a variety of SP measures. 2/ The Regional UN Issue-Based Coalition on Social Protection (IBC-SP), which includes @iloarabstates, @UNDPArabStates, @UNICEFmena & @UNESCWA, along w/ other #UN agencies, partnered with the @IPC_IG to take stock of the first phase of responses. See bit.ly/30ZNfML.

1/14 Over the last weeks #LatinAmerica has seen a rapid increase in the number of cases and deaths due to #COVID19 (especially in Brazil, Mexico, Peru and Ecuador) with 1.2M confirmed cases in the region on June 7.

cnn.it/2Up10AS 2/14 Since March countries in the region have adopted emergency #socialprotection measures to support those mostly affected by the pandemic. These interventions are being assessed by @uniceflac and @IPC_IG through a series of technical notes. Read: bit.ly/30y3mkX.

1/14 De acordo com a @WHO, no final de maio a América do Sul se tornou o novo epicentro da pandemia de #Covid19. O #Brasil tem o maior número de casos (584.016) e óbitos (32.548) com dados de sexta-feira, 5 de junho. Veja bit.ly/3gweT9X. @WHO 2/15 Nesse contexto, a #ProteçãoSocial no Brasil enfrenta um enorme desafio: implementar ajustes no design e expandir vertical e horizontalmente para combater o impacto do #Covid19 — como destacado por @LeticiaBarthol3 + outros do @ipeaonline. Veja bit.ly/2ZJLraf.

1/14 According to @WHO, at the end of May South America has become the new epicentre of #COVID19 pandemic. #Brazil has the highest number of cases (411,821) and deaths (25,598) as of Friday 29 May. See bit.ly/3gweT9X. @WHO 2/14 In this context, Brazil's #SocialProtection faces a huge challenge: implement design tweaks and expand both vertically & horizontally to fight #COVID19 impact—as highlighted by @LeticiaBarthol3 + others from @ipeaonline. See bit.ly/2ZJLraf.

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

1 En Janvier 2019, la Tunisie a voté une loi réformant son système d’assistance sociale et a établi l’Amen Social. Le nouveau registre social est la clé de voute du système qui va être mis en place pour assurer un revenu minimum aux plus pauvres. Cf. bit.ly/2WESNIS 2 Le nouveau registre a été fait sur le précédent utilisé pour identifier l’éligibilité au PNAFN/AMG1, un #transfertmonétaire + soins gratuits pour les ménages pauvres dont le chef ne pouvait pas travailler ; et à l’AMG2 – une assurance subventionnée pour les ménages vulnérables.

1 Le 7 Mai, en #Tunisie, 1025 cas de #COVID19 étaient confirmés. Le pays y a répondu avec un confinement poussé du 22 mars au 3 mai, avec un Oxford Stringency Index de 90,61. Le confinement a eu un fort effet négatif sur l’emploi et le revenu des ménages. 2 Des #transfertsmonetaires de jusqu’à 200TND (70USD) ont été mis en place pour les #travailleursformels et #indépendants registrés dont l’activité est suspendue ou réduite, et pour les ménages pauvres et à revenu limité dans le registre social : bit.ly/3bbo9MB

1 In January 2019, #Tunisia approved a law that reformed its social assistance system and established the Amen Social. The new social registry is the backbone of the system to be put in place to ensure a minimum income to the poorest. See bit.ly/2WESNIS. 2 The new registry was built on top of the previous one used to assess eligibility for the PNANF/AMG1, a #CashTransfer + free health care for extreme poor hh heads unable to work; and the AMG2, which offers subsidized health care for vulnerable hhs.

1 In #Tunisia there were 1025 confirmed cases of #COVID19 as of 7 May. The country has responded to the threat of #COVID19 with a strong lockdown from 22 March to 3 May, with an Oxford Stringency Index of 90.61. The lockdown had a strong negative effect on employment and income. 2 As a compensation measure #CashTranfers of max TND 200 (USD70) were established for both #FormalWorkers and registered #SelfEmployed with suspended or reduced work activity and for poor and vulnerable hhs in the social registry. See the decrees: bit.ly/3bbo9MB

1 Comment rapidement mettre en œuvre des #transfertsmonétaires lors d’un choc comme #COVID19 ? Les options sont l’augmentation des montants des transferts existants, l’expansion de la couverture, la mise en place d’interventions sur ce qui existe Cf. Fig. de @ValentinaBarca et al 2 Le Tayssir, un #CCT géré par @MarocEducation, pour 2M d’étudiants dans les zones rurales et urbaines, est le seul programme de #transfertmonétaire au #Maroc. Pourtant, l’indemnité d’urgence pour les travailleurs informels n’en dépend pas pour répondre au #COVID19. Pourquoi ?

1 Le 30 avril, étaient confirmés 4 359 cas de #COVID19 au #Maroc. Le pays a mis en place des fortes mesures de confinement, avec un Oxford Stringency Index de 80,95. Le confinement partiel a mené 57% des entreprises à suspendre leurs activités et licencier des travailleurs. 2 Des #TransfertsMonétaires pour les #TravailleursFormels et #informels touchés ont été annoncés et sont mis en œuvre parmi les réponses du gouvernement au #COVID19. Ils sont financés à travers un fond spécial de lutte contre le #COVID19. @financesmaroc : bit.ly/3cZJwC5

1/11 How can a country quickly implement emergency #CashTransfers when hit by a shock like #COVID19? Options include increasing the value of existing transfers, expanding coverage, or by setting-up interventions based on existing structure. See image from @ValentinaBarca_ et al. 2/11 Tayssir, a #CCT managed by the @MarocEducation covering 2 million students in both rural & urban areas, is the only large-scale social #CashTransfer programme in #Morocco. However, the emergency benefit for #InformalWorkers didn’t rely on Tayssir to respond to #COVID19. Why?

1/11 As of 30 April, there were 4,359 confirmed cases of #COVID19 in #Morocco. The country has put in place strong confinement measures with an Oxford Stringency Index of 80.95. The partial lockdown led 57% of firms to suspend their activities and lay off workers. 2/11 #CashTransfer schemes for both affected #FormalWorkers and #InformalWorkers were announced and are being implemented as part of the government responses to #COVID19. They are financed through a special fund to fight #COVID19. See @financesmaroc: bit.ly/3cZJwC5.

1/12 El 20/04, @juanluisbm presidente del IMAS anunció el pago del subsidio emergencia: 125k colones a 33k familias pobres que no reciben ningún auxilio del gobierno. Ellas fueron identificadas a través del registro social SINIRUBE. Más detalles: bit.ly/2VnGRMe. @juanluisbm 2/12 Además de la extensión de la elegibilidad para acceder al fondo de indemnización por despido (bit.ly/2VBTq74) y el establecimiento de #BonoProteger (bit.ly/2VWeqUY) y de subsidio emergencia, otras respuestas de #ProtecciónSocial al #COVID19 incluyeron:

1/12 ¿Cuáles instrumentos de #ProtecciónSocial #CostaRica podría usar p/ mitigar rápidamente el impacto de la crisis #COVID19 p/ los trabajadores formales e informales, además de la expansión horizontal de la indemnización por despido p/ los formales? Ver bit.ly/2VBTq74 2/12 #CostaRica no tiene un seguro desempleo ya que no aceptó la Parte IV de la convención 102 de @ilo bit.ly/3cwfHJ1. El @MTSS_CR no consideró usar la crisis #COVID19 para avanzar en esta dirección como se informa en este artículo: bit.ly/2RTBt1q.

1/10 ¿Cómo ha respondido #CostaRica a la crisis #COVID19? Rápidamente ha adoptado medidas estrictas declarando el Estado de Emergencia Nacional el 16/03, 10 días después del primer caso. ¿Pero por qué lo hicieron bit.ly/2yxZ1SQ 2/10 #CostaRica tiene un número muy bajo de camas de hospital por cada 1,000 personas (1.1) según la @OECD_Stat. Tiene solo 140 camas de UCI en hospitales públicos. De ahí la decisión de tomar todas las medidas para evitar la propagación del #COVID19.
bit.ly/2wSYXfJ

1/12 On 20/04, @juanluisbm, president of the Social Assistance Agency (IMAS), announced the payment of a 125k colones emergency subsidy to 33k poor families not receiving any gov. transfers. They were identified through the country’s social registry. Read: bit.ly/2RUJcMP @juanluisbm 2/12 Besides the extended eligibility to access the severance payment fund (bit.ly/3brMr68), the establishment of #BonoProteger (bit.ly/3brN3Zu), and the emergency subsidy, other #SocialProtection responses to #COVID19 have included:

1/12 What are the #SocialProtection instruments that #CostaRica could use or adapt to quickly mitigate the impact of the #COVID19 crisis for both formal and informal workers, besides the horizontal expansion of the severance payment for the former? Check: bit.ly/3brMr68 2/12 #CostaRica has no regular unemployment benefit as it did not accept Part IV of the @ILO convention 102 bit.ly/3cwfHJ1. @MTSS_CR did not consider using the #COVID19 crisis to move in this direction as reported in this article: bit.ly/2RTBt1q.

1/10 How has #CostaRica responded to the #COVID19 crisis? It has quickly adopted stringent containment measures, declaring a State of National Emergency on 16 March, 10 days after the first case—see its Oxford stringency index. But why did it do so? bit.ly/2yxZ1SQ 2/10 #CostaRica has a very low number of hospital beds per 1,000 people (1.1) according to @OECD_Stat. Even more worrisome, it has only 140 ICU beds in public hospitals. Hence the decision to take all the necessary measures to avoid the spread of #COVID19. bit.ly/2wSYXfJ

1. Some countries are distributing cash or vouchers instead of food baskets to provide relief for families w/ children who are not receiving school meals due to closures. This is more common when an on-going cash transfer programme already exists. 📷 Marcelo Camargo/AgênciaBrasil 2. In #Brazil, this approach was adopted in the states of SP (bit.ly/3c7nooM), GO (bit.ly/2y2j0sz) and the Federal District (bit.ly/2Vlf6Tj). Local governments top up Bolsa Família benefits w/ their own resources to compensate for missing school meals.

1. Safely providing food to school-aged children amid the pandemic according to social distancing norms is not an easy task. Home delivery has been tried in special contexts in which mobility is severely reduced due to strict lockdown and for specific vulnerable groups. 📷: Mint 2. #Kerala, in India, has been severely hit by #COVID19 and the government has adopted a strict lockdown. In this context, home delivery of the mid-day meal may be the only option to reach around 375,000 children enrolled in school. bit.ly/2VhgKFC.