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COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis are driving millions of people into poverty. A UNDP report calls for the introduction of a Temporary Basic Income (TBI) for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. While such TBI schemes would cost most developing countries less than 1% of their GDP per month, they would provide substantial benefits to vulnerable populations who need assistance to buy immediate necessities like food for their families. Read more»
Stephanie Guha / November 2020
The new World Bank report "Reversals of Fortune" brings sobering news. The severe effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbated by the effects of armed conflict and climate change, are reversing progress made in reducing extreme poverty. After more than 20 years of progress, the fight to end poverty has suffered the worst setback in decades. Rapid, significant and sustainable action is needed to attain the goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030. Read more»
Selina Bezzola / October 2020
Nepal's 2015 earthquake left well over 8,000 people dead and destroyed the homes and livelihoods of many, many more. In the early humanitarian response, the emphasis was of course on reaching every affected person. However, in the longer-term reconstruction effort, some individuals were in a better position than others to access financial assistance and to draw on family resources to rebuild their lives. The SDC project Employment Fund – Skills for Reconstruction (EF-SR) focused on training individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds in earthquake-resilient construction techniques – skills they learned through hands-on experience. This gave the men and women concerned both the chance to rebuild their own homes, and a source of future livelihood in the construction sector. Nevertheless, as the project progressed, it became increasingly obvious that some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged households were being left behind in the reconstruction effort. They needed targeted support. This blog outlines how this was done and provides a link to stories of specific individuals whose lives were changed through project interventions. Read more»
Antonia Does / October 2020
On 5, 6 and 8 October 2020, socialprotection.org hosted a large virtual learning event, “Turning the COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity: What’s next for social protection?” This included 2,150 participants attending 72 sessions structured around 5 formats, namely expert panels, round tables, clinics, side events, and booth talks. See here for a summary» and see here for four key take-aways and four big gaps from the recent global discussion»
Are more equal countries better able to cope with crises like Covid-19? When looking at humanitarian crises like famines or droughts, there is a fair amount of evidence that more equal countries are more resilient, that the impacts are more evenly spread, and that more equal countries find it easier to bounce back. In more unequal countries, risk is a bit like the opposite of wealth – the further down the income spectrum, the more risk faced by people. Take a look at the recently published third edition of the Commitment to Reducing Inequality index (CRI 2020) of which measures governments are taking in three areas proven to be essential if a country is going to reduce the gap between rich and poor. Read more»
This session by Development Initiatives (DI) - a partner for the 2020 Virtual UN World Data Forum - brings together data and statistical experts and users from governments, civil society, the private sector, donor and philanthropic bodies, international and regional agencies, the geospatial community, the media, academia and professional bodies. Data experts and users gather to spur data innovation, mobilise high-level political and financial support for data, and build a pathway to better data for sustainable development. Read more and register here»
Stephanie Guha / October 2020
