Building Back Better: SOCIAL POLICY RESPONSES TO COVID-19 - SOCIAL POLICY RESPONSES TO ...
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Building Back Better: SOCIAL POLICY RESPONSES TO COVID-19 Briefing Paper Updated: 20 July 2020 Authors: Shabana Basij-Rasikh (Afghanistan), Benjamin Ignac (Croatia), Kristie Jameson (Canada), Oksana Matiiash (Ukraine), Nasir Mohammed (Nigeria), Michael O’Keefe (Canada), Muktai Panchal (India), Davi Romão (Brazil), Amanda Sadalla (Brazil)
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged governments around the world to act quickly to simultaneously
provide public health, economic, and social protection for their respective citizens. The spread of COVID-19,
and the impact of unprecedented policy responses and public health measures, has disproportionately
affected particular populations and amplified existing inequalities globally.
This report considers the effects of COVID-19 on these inequalities, outlines the pre-pandemic situation,
highlights best practices in context, and ends with key lessons. We argue that COVID-19 challenges
governments to implement smart policies that simultaneously protect society in the midst of the pandemic,
while also building a foundation to respond to longstanding pervasive inequalities. This report focuses on
three areas of social policy: social safety nets; education; and working and living conditions.
We outline interventions that can prevent social exclusion, as well as reinforce strategies for groups
previously at-risk, such as Black and ethnic minorities, Indigenous Peoples, migrants and refugees, women
and children, LGBTQ+ individuals, people living with disabilities, and other vulnerable and marginalized
groups.
Following a review of existing evidence and public policy responses from around the world, we urge
governments to take action under three broad themes:
1. Act immediately with “no regret” 1 policies that reinforce and enhance social safety nets, provide
educational resources to the most vulnerable and marginalized groups in society, and that support all
people in adhering to public health measures in their living and working environments.
2. Establish extensive partnerships to cultivate coordination across government ministries, levels of
government, non-governmental organizations, including labour and workers’ organizations, civil
society, and with representatives from vulnerable and marginalized groups.
3. Begin developing and implementing policies with an eye to building resilience and addressing stark
pre-existing inequalities in society for the long term. These policies should prioritise diversity, equity,
and inclusion and rely on a data and evidence-based approach to decision-making.
1 Dercon, S. “No-regrets: Urgent Action Needed for Education during COVID-19 Crisis.” Oxford Science Blog. University of Oxford. May 29, 2020. Accessed
June 2, 2020. http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/science-blog/no-regrets-urgent-action-needed-education-during-covid-19-crisis
1
Contents
1. Overview 3
2. Pre-Pandemic Situation 5
2.1 Social Safety Nets 5
2.2 Education 5
2.3 Working & Living Conditions 6
3. Good Practice in Context 7
3.1 Social Safety Nets 7
3.2 Education 11
3.3 Working & Living Conditions 13
3.4 Good Practice: State Capacity & Scope of Policy Response 15
4. Key Lessons 17
4.1 No Regret Policies 17
4.2 Partnerships & Coordination 17
4.3 Build Back Better 18
Appendix: Referenced figures 19
2
1. Overview
The COVID-19 pandemic is having a profound, yet unequal, impact on individuals and groups across society.
COVID-19 is exacerbating existing inequalities both within and between countries, leading to vulnerable and
marginalized populations experiencing undeniably disproportionate effects. Concurrently, as the social and
economic effects of the pandemic grow, an increasing number of people are experiencing social
vulnerabilities. In some cases, COVID-19 could irrevocably alter the social fabric of society and roll back
decades of progress, including progress on poverty2, gender equality3, as well as Black and ethnic minorities4.
Disproportionately affected groups include, but are not limited to, Black and ethnic minorities, Indigenous
Peoples, migrants and refugees, women and children, LGBTQ+ individuals, people living with disabilities, and
the elderly. Members of these communities are more likely to be impoverished, homeless, incarcerated, and
immunocompromised—all of which exacerbates the negative impact of the pandemic and leads to each of
these groups being affected uniquely (see Infographic below).
Additionally, the social issues arising from the pandemic are numerous and diverse, affecting different
countries and regions in unique ways. Fragile states, developing countries, and developed nations each face
a unique set of challenges, as well as varying levels of capacity and resources to respond effectively.
The interplay between the realities of vulnerable and marginalized groups within the contexts of different
countries leads to the hyper-localization of social inequalities and demands that policy responses be tailored
accordingly to suit local contexts. These various contexts and inequalities must be front of mind as
policymakers consider how to effectively respond to COVID-19, design a phased exit from policies to re-open
society, and attempt to achieve long term recovery by strengthening society to be better protected from
future waves of COVID-19 or other crises.
The social policy responses needed are far-reaching. In this report, we focus on three of the most pressing
social policy areas affected by the COVID-19 pandemic: social safety nets; education; and working and living
conditions.
2 The Economist. “Covid-19 is undoing years of progress in curbing global poverty”https://www.economist.com/international/2020/05/23/covid-19-is-
undoing-years-of-progress-in-curbing-global-poverty
3The Guardian. “Covid-19 crisis could set women back decades, experts fear” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/29/covid-19-crisis-could-set-
women-back-decades-experts-fear
4The Lancet. “Sharpening the global focus on ethnicity and race in the time of COVID-19” https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-
6736(20)31102-8/fulltext
3
Infographic: Overview of key social policy response themes and affected populations. Click on
each group for useful policy resources.
4
2. Pre-Pandemic Situation
Prior to COVID-19, economic inequality5, financial insecurity6, and inequality of living conditions persisted
globally and domestically around the world. The persistence of these issues illustrates a vulnerability in global
preparedness to protect against the social impact of COVID-19, as pandemics have shown to lead to further
inequality.7
Addressing inadequacies within social safety nets, education systems, and working and living conditions will
mitigate the impact of COVID-19, and possible future pandemics, on inequalities nationally and globally.
2.1 Social Safety Nets
Prior to COVID-19, 55% of the global population did not have access to any form of social protection. Despite
higher rates of poverty, developing countries were spending less on social protection compared to OECD
countries (5% vs. 11% of GDP respectively in 2015). It is estimated that $488B USD is spent on social
assistance in high-income countries, as compared to $50B USD in middle-income countries, and $247M USD
in low-income countries.8
That said, many developing countries have established social assistance programs, and the accompanying
infrastructure required for effective implementation (Figure 4).9 One issue faced across most countries,
especially fragile and developing states, is the exclusion of vulnerable and marginalized groups from social
assistance programmes, including informal, migrant, refugee, illegal and internally-displaced workers. These
workers are therefore at greater risk, and harder to reach, in an emergency. 10 These workers are also
predominantly Black and ethnic minority, Indigenous, women and children, or members of other vulnerable
and marginalized groups.
2.2 Education
While there has been considerable progress in achieving inclusive and equitable quality education in many
parts of the world, 262 million children and youth aged 6-17 were out of school in 2017.11 Furthermore,
approximately 130 million girls were out of school globally prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. 12 These statistics
are exacerbated in fragile and developing states, as well as among vulnerable and marginalized populations,
including Black and ethnic minorities, Indigenous Peoples, young girls, LGBTQ+ students, and students with
disabilities.
Additionally, most countries have focused education policy on enrolment outcomes, and have seen
improvements. However, learning outcomes have lagged considerably behind as a result of not being
5 Roser, M. “Global Economic Inequality.” Our World in Data. Accessed: June 1, 2020. https://ourworldindata.org/global-economic-inequality
6 OECD. “COVID-19: Protecting people and Societies” March 31, 2020. Accessed on June 1 2020. http://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/covid-
19-protecting-people-and-societies-e5c9de1a/
7IMF Blog. “How Pandemics Leave the Poor Even Farther Behind”https://blogs.imf.org/2020/05/11/how-pandemics-leave-the-poor-even-farther-behind/
8 OECD. “Supporting Livelihoods during the COVID-19 crisis: Closing the Gaps in Safety Nets.” May 20, 2020. Accessed on: June 1, 2020.
http://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/supporting-livelihoods-during-the-covid-19-crisis-closing-the-gaps-in-safety-nets-17cbb92d/#boxsection-
d1e31
9 Gerard, F., Imbert, C., Orkin, K. “Policy Brief: Social Protection Response to the COVID-19 Crisis: Options for Developing Countries” Econfip. April 2020.
Accessed on: June 1, 2020. https://econfip.org/policy-brief/social-protection-response-to-the-covid-19-crisis-options-for-developing-countries/#
10 ibid.
11 The Sustainable Development Report, 2019 (page 31): https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2019/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2019.pdf
12 Leaving no one behind: How far on the way to universal primary and secondary education? https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000245238
5prioritized. In 2015, more than half of primary and lower secondary school learners were not achieving
proficiency in reading and mathematics.13
2.3 Working & Living Conditions
Millions of people were forced to accept inadequate working conditions prior to the pandemic, with informal
and migrant workers being the most vulnerable.14 As of 2019, 2 billion people – more than 61% of the world’s
employed population – worked in the informal economy, which is not regulated or protected by the state.
Most of these workers are in fragile and developing countries. In India, almost 90% of the 500 million workers
are part of the informal sector. Informal workers have higher exposure to occupational health and safety
risks, limited protection, and an increased likelihood of suffering from illness, accident, or death.15
Prior to the pandemic, 1.6 billion people lacked adequate housing globally, including approximately 150
million people who were homeless16, and 1 billion who lived in overcrowded slums with poor infrastructure
and lack of access to essential services including water, sanitation, electricity, and digital connectivity.17 At
the start of this pandemic, there were over 71 million refugees and forcibly displaced people hosted in
densely populated premises18, and 11 million prisoners confined to closed spaces.
Further, before COVID-19, 1 in 3 women globally experienced physical and/or sexual violence, with six women
dying every hour worldwide as victims of femicide.19 Moreover, approximately 15 million adolescent girls
worldwide have experienced forced sex at some point in their life. 20 Evidence from previous health crises
and isolation periods have shown an increase in levels of intimate partner violence, when women are confined
in their homes with their abuser, and a lack of adequate support services. Additionally, with children out of
school and households facing decreases in family income, some girls are forced to serve as ‘breadwinners’,
trading sex for food or other essentials.21
13 The Sustainable Development Report, 2019 (page 30): https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2019/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2019.pdf
14 “Poor Working Conditions Are Main Global Employment Challenge.” World Employment and Social Outlook – Trends 2019: Poor Working Conditions Are
Main Global Employment Challenge, 13 Feb. 2019, www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_670171/lang--en/index.htm.
15 COVID-19 Crisis and the Informal Economy Immediate Responses and Policy Challenges . 2020, www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_protect/---
protrav/---travail/documents/briefingnote/wcms_743623.pdf.
16 Yale Global. “As Cities Grow, So Do the Numbers of Homeless” https://yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/cities-grow-so-do-numbers-homeless
17 World Economic Forum. “Why COVID-19 poses a particular threat in the world's slums” https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/covid-19-coronavirus-
slums-urban-growth-cities-pandemic-urbanization/
18 UNHCR. “UNHCR’s preparedness and response plan” http://reporting.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/COVID-19%20appeal%20-%20REVISED%20-
%20FINAL.pdf
19 UN. “Home, the most dangerous place for women, with majority of female homicide victims worldwide killed by partners or family, UNODC study says.”
https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/2018/November/home-the-most-dangerous-place-for-women-with-majority-of-female-homicide-victims-
worldwide-killed-by-partners-or-family--unodc-study-says.html
20 UNICEF. “A Familiar Face: Violence in the lives of children and adolescents.” United Nations Children’s Fund. 2017.
https://www.unicef.org/publications/files/Violence_in_the_lives_of_children_and_adolescents.pdf
21 Evidence from West Africa shows that, the closure of schools during the Ebola crisis exposed girls to sexual exploitation, violence, teenage pregnancy and
child marriage (Holt and Radcliffe, 2019).
63. Good Practice in Context
3.1 Social Safety Nets
As of May 22, 2020, 190 countries had planned, introduced, or adapted 937 social protection measures in
response to COVID-19.22 Since March, there has been an eight-fold increase in the number of measures
implemented (Figure 5). The type and extent of social protection measures introduced have varied across
countries, reflecting local resources, capability, and contexts.
These measures aim to protect vulnerable groups by ensuring that workers remain employed, and that those
who lose their income receive support to maintain basic living conditions. Further, these measures help to
prevent households from selling productive assets and avoiding long-lasting economic hardship, as well as
increased long-term burden on social assistance programs.23
Our review of social protection measures does not provide conclusive evidence of best practice for program
design during COVID-19, but rather points to principles of good practice that are helpful for policymakers as
they design social policy responses that are effective in their unique context. These include acting fast 24,
using existing infrastructure, and providing a broad social safety net. 25
Below we present a set of policy responses that increase social support to vulnerable or at-risk groups. The
prioritization and application of any of these options must consider local context, strengths, and challenges.
Short-term policy adaptations should be prioritized to increase scope and reach as swiftly as possible, while
interventions that require longer-term infrastructure or institutional development can be initiated in parallel.
3.1.1 Social Assistance Programs
Social assistance programs—including in-kind and cash transfers—are one of the most powerful tools to
improve social outcomes for vulnerable populations.26 These have been the most widely social assistance
programme employed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, making up one-third of total COVID-related
social protection interventions (Figure 6).
With the threat of lost income during this pandemic, and a risk of people falling into – or deeper into – poverty,
expanded social assistance programs can protect people when implemented quickly and broadly. There are
five key strategies countries should consider when expanding cash and in-kind transfers:
● Increase benefits: Egypt has approved general increases across pre-existing programs, while Sri
Lanka has offered selective top-ups for low-income pensioners.27
22 Gentilini, Ugo, Almenfi, Mohamed, Orton, Ian, and Dale, Pamela. 2020. “Social Protection and Jobs Responses to COVID-19,” April.
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/33635.
23 “The Evidence behind Putting Money Directly in the Pockets of the Poor | University of Oxford.” n.d. Www.Ox.Ac.Uk. Accessed June 1, 2020.
http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/science-blog/evidence-behind-putting-money-directly-pockets-poor.
24 “The Evidence behind Putting Money Directly in the Pockets of the Poor | University of Oxford.” n.d. Www.Ox.Ac.Uk. Accessed June 1, 2020.
http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/science-blog/evidence-behind-putting-money-directly-pockets-poor.
25 Gerard, F., Imbert, C., Orkin, K. “Policy Brief: Social Protection Response to the COVID-19 Crisis: Options for Developing Countries” Econfip. April 2020.
Accessed on: June 1, 2020. https://econfip.org/policy-brief/social-protection-response-to-the-covid-19-crisis-options-for-developing-countries/#
26 Bastagli, Hagen-Zanker, Harman, Barca, Sturge, Schmidt and Pellerano. 2016. “Cash transfers: what does the evidence say? A rigorous review of
programme impact and of the role of design and implementation features”. Accessed July 19, 2020. https://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/resource-
documents/11316.pdf
27 Gentilini, Ugo, Almenfi, Mohamed, Orton, Ian, and Dale, Pamela. 2020. “Social Protection and Jobs Responses to COVID-19,” April.
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/33635.
7● Relax conditions and expand coverage: Philippines and El Salvador quadrupled their coverage, while
countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, and Australia suspended or relaxed conditionalities for
cash transfers to reach more people.28
● Simplify administrative requirements: In Armenia, cash is being home-delivered to seniors, while in
Jordan, delivery systems are shared across various social assistance programs.
● Introduce new cash transfers: 23 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have introduced new
cash transfers. Some are one-time payments to a particular population, while others are based on a
set number of monthly payments.29
● Provide early disbursement of existing transfers: Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Paraguay have
provided early distribution of cash transfers for older persons and persons with disabilities.30
The selection and application of which strategy to implement will depend on local resources and capability,
existing infrastructure, as well as demographics and socio-economic factors.
Social Assistance Programs: In-Kind of Cash Transfers?
Considerations for addressing food insecurity
Evidence suggests that money, rather than food, is the most efficient and effective way to
distribute aid.31 However, the effectiveness of cash transfers is dependent on access to goods
and services. If supply chains are disrupted, then in-kind transfers are more effective.3233
In the context of COVID-19, movement restrictions and price fluctuations can disrupt supply
chains, limiting market access to food and reducing the effectiveness of cash transfers.
Meanwhile, in-kind provision of food can encourage overcrowding, which increases the risk of
infection and spread of the disease, and where food supplies are limited, in-kind provision has
resulted in raids and mob-violence.
This highlights the contextual considerations required for policy design. The World Food
Program’s guidance for cash-based transfers during COVID-19 recommends shifting between
in-kind and cash-based food assistance according to local market conditions. 34
28 OECD. “Supporting Livelihoods during the COVID-19 crisis: Closing the Gaps in Safety Nets.” May 20, 2020. Accessed on: June 1, 2020.
http://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/supporting-livelihoods-during-the-covid-19-crisis-closing-the-gaps-in-safety-nets-17cbb92d/#section-
d1e1633
29 ECLAC. “The social challenge in times of COVID-19.” United Nations. May 12 2020. Access on: June 2 2020.
https://repositorio.cepal.org/bitstream/handle/11362/45544/1/S2000324_en.pdf
30 ibid.
31 “The Evidence behind Putting Money Directly in the Pockets of the Poor | University of Oxford.” n.d. Www.Ox.Ac.Uk. Accessed June 1, 2020.
http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/science-blog/evidence-behind-putting-money-directly-pockets-poor.
32 Gerard, F., Imbert, C., Orkin, K. “Policy Brief: Social Protection Response to the COVID-19 Crisis: Options for Developing Countries” Econfip. April 2020.
Accessed on: June 1, 2020. https://econfip.org/policy-brief/social-protection-response-to-the-covid-19-crisis-options-for-developing-countries/#
33 “The Evidence behind Putting Money Directly in the Pockets of the Poor | University of Oxford.” n.d. Www.Ox.Ac.Uk. Accessed June 1, 2020.
http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/science-blog/evidence-behind-putting-money-directly-pockets-poor.
34 World Food Programme. “Guidance for cash-based transfers in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak.” Accessed on June 2 2020.
https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/sites/www.humanitarianresponse.info/files/documents/files/wfp-guidance_for_cash-
based_transfers_in_the_context_of_the_covid-19_outbreak1.pdf
83.1.2 Social Insurance Programs & Job Retention Schemes
Social insurance programs play an important role in relieving financial and emotional strain as people lose
their jobs.35 These programs make up over 25% of the global social protection response (Figure 6).
The COVID-19-induced increase in rates of unemployment has led to unprecedented levels of applicants and
need for expediency in processing claims—placing mounting pressure on social insurance programs. Further,
COVID-19 has highlighted that significant segments of the population, including informal workers and formal
self-employed workers, are not captured by these programs.
This challenges governments to assess how best to support workers facing unemployment. In response,
governments have expanded unemployment benefits, relaxed conditions, increased subsidies of social
security contributions, and increased paid sick leave measures.36 However, to protect informal workers and
others ineligible for social insurance, expanding coverage of social assistance programs, as noted above, is
most effective.37 Recent research has shown that expansions to the Child Support Grant in South Africa can
swiftly and effectively reach informal workers during the crisis.38
Job retention schemes, on the other hand, protect jobs that are expected to be viable once COVID-19
restrictions ease.39 Such schemes are particularly valuable in countries where social insurance schemes do
not exist or are insufficient, and where there are high job search frictions, making the cost of job destruction
higher. In Montenegro, a wage subsidy program has been implemented, aiding furloughed formal workers
and coupled with a subsidy for companies hiring new employees.40
3.1.3 Tax Benefits, Subsidies, & Expense Relief
To supplement cash transfers, governments can provide support to cover both pandemic-related and regular
expenditures through mechanisms such as tax benefits, subsidies, and moratoriums or freezing of expenses,
including tax moratoriums, deferred payments, and suspension or waiver of utility payments. For example,
the state of São Paulo, Brazil suspended the water tariff for 506,000 poor families, for 90 days.41
3.1.4 Skills Training, Re-Skilling & Job Creation for Financial Resilience
Governments can also invest in supporting workers in finding work through training and boosting public
works programs.42 Indonesia has doubled the allocated budget for Kartu Pra-Kerja, a program that provides
subsidized vouchers for unemployed workers for skilling and reskilling. The program will be accessible to an
estimated 5.6 million informal workers and small and micro-enterprises affected by COVID-19.
35 O'Campo, Molnar, Ng, Renahy, Mitchell, Shankardass, John, Bambra, Muntaner. 2015. “Social welfare matters: A realist review o f when, how, and why
unemployment insurance impacts poverty and health”. Accessed on July 19 2020.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953615001690?via%3Dihub
36 Gentilini, Ugo, Almenfi, Mohamed, Orton, Ian, and Dale, Pamela. 2020. “Social Protection and Jobs Responses to COVID-19,” April.
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/33635.
37 Diez, F., et al. “Options to Support the Incomes of Informal Workers During COVID-19.” IMF Research. May 20, 2020.
38 Bassier, I., et al. “Locked down and locked out: Repurposing social assistance as emergency relief to informal workers.” South Africa Labour and
Development Research Unit. Working Paper Series, No. 261, Version 2. June 1, 2020.
39 Gerard, F., Imbert, C., Orkin, K. “Policy Brief: Social Protection Response to the COVID-19 Crisis: Options for Developing Countries” Econfip. April 2020.
Accessed on: June 1, 2020.
40 Gentilini, Ugo, Almenfi, Mohamed, Orton, Ian, and Dale, Pamela. 2020. “Social Protection and Jobs Responses to COVID-19,” April.
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/1
41 “Sao Paulo suspends water tariff collection for 506 thousand families” https://valor.globo.com/brasil/noticia/2020/03/19/so-paulo-suspende-cobrana-
de-tarifa-de-gua-para-506-mil-famlias.ghtml
42 Fuceri, D., Loungani, P., Ostry, J. “How Pandemics Leave the Poor Even Father Behind.” IMF Blog. May 11 2020. Accessed on June 2 2020.
https://blogs.imf.org/2020/05/11/how-pandemics-leave-the-poor-even-farther-behind/
9Recommended Good Practice | Social Safety Nets
• Act immediately to increase, expand, and streamline social assistance and
insurance programs to get cash into the hands of people now. 23
• Provide a broad social safety net to prevent long term social and economic
43 consequences.24 Focus first on offering wide, unconditional assistance to a
range of groups, and worry about targeting later. 25
• Design policies that fit local context and build upon existing mechanisms and
infrastructure to assist as many new beneficiaries as possible. Deploying
new enrolment systems is resource-intensive and may not reach the most
vulnerable or marginalized populations.
• Plan to Build Back Better. Keep an eye to laying the foundation for longer-term
policies such as instituting a Universal Basic Income and a “New Deal” to
address the challenges of protecting informal workers.43
43 IMF Blog. “A “New Deal” for Informal Workers in Asia“ https://blogs.imf.org/2020/04/30/a-new-deal-for-informal-workers-in-asia/
103.2 Education
Nearly 60% of the world’s student population – approximately 1 billion children – are out of school due to the
pandemic.44 Globally, nearly 10 million girls are at risk of not returning to school without gender-equal policies
being implemented during the pandemic.45 This will exacerbate instances of sexual exploitation, teenage
pregnancy, and child marriage. Disruption to schooling can have a devastating long-term impact on children’s
learning and their earning potential as adults.46
An effective response to these challenges requires strengthened coordination with local teachers, while
preserving teaching and learning autonomy in local contexts, heightened family engagement in marginalized
populations, and collaboration across government ministries, educational institutions, private sector, civil
society organizations, and charitable initiatives.
The following outlines three priority areas for good practice in policy response to the disruption to education
due to COVID-19: continuity of learning; adaptive curriculum; and responsive reopening.
3.2.1 Continuity of Learning
Governments must prioritize continuity of learning and take context seriously when implementing
adaptations for education delivery and interaction during the pandemic. Most critically, a focus on high
technology solutions in fragile, developing, and developed states alike will inevitably disadvantage large
swaths of the global population who continue to live without internet access or access to necessary
electronic devices. In the poorest countries, women are 33% less likely than men to have access to the
Internet.47
In South Korea, the inequities associated with high-tech teaching and learning has been partially addressed
through tech-support for low-income families in the form of internet cost support. Moreover, the
government has collaborated with the charitable sector to establish a computer-equipment lending service.
In contrast, Nepal has positioned its education pandemic response around low or no tech solutions based
around peer learning supported by printed resources distributed from designated collection sites.
3.2.2 Adaptive Curriculum
Evidence from school disruptions resulting from a 2005 earthquake in Pakistan shows that the effects of
loss of learning is further amplified when the curriculum is not appropriately designed upon a return to
school.48 With the anticipation of multiple waves of closures, this further challenges governments to think
carefully about school re-opening and curriculum design and delivery, and to explore opportunities to
facilitate teaching and learning that cater to student’s needs. 49
44 UNESCO. “Education: From disruption to recovery.” Global Education Coalition. 2020. https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse
45 Malala Fund, “Girls’ Education and COVID-19: What Past Shocks Can Teach Us About Mitigating The Impact of Pandemics” Accessed on June 2 2020.
https://malala.org/newsroom/archive/malala-fund-releases-report-girls-education-covid-19
46 Andrabi, T., Daniels, B., Das, J. “Human Capital Accumulation and Disasters: Evidence from the Pakistan Earthquake of 2005” May 2020. Accessed on:
June 20 2020. https://www.riseprogramme.org/sites/www.riseprogramme.org/files/publications/RISE_WP-039_Adrabi_Daniels_Das_0.pdf
47 Malala Fund, “Girls’ Education and COVID-19: What Past Shocks Can Teach Us About Mitigating The Impact of Pandemics” Accessed on June 2 2020.
https://malala.org/newsroom/archive/malala-fund-releases-report-girls-education-covid-19
48 Andrabi, T., Daniels, B., Das, J. “Human Capital Accumulation and Disasters: Evidence from the Pakistan Earthquake of 2005” May 2020. Accessed on:
June 20 2020. https://www.riseprogramme.org/sites/www.riseprogramme.org/files/publications/RISE_WP-039_Adrabi_Daniels_Das_0.pdf
49 Muralidharan, K., Singh, A., Ganimian, A. “In Delhi Experiment, Software sparks success.” RISE. April 25 2019. Accessed on June 2, 2020.
https://www.riseprogramme.org/blog/delhi_experiment_sparks_success
113.2.3 Responsive Reopening
As countries prepare to reopen schools, there are four guiding principles to consider in designing a reopening
strategy that is reflective of local context and with the ultimate goal of returning safely to in-person teaching.
First, science, not politics, should inform decisions about opening at national and local levels. Second, as
different geographic locations within each country is affected differently, central or federal governments
should empower and provide resources to local decision makers to make informed decision about reopening
that is appropriate to the local context. Third, re-imagine class size and routines to enable students to socially
distance. And lastly, remind parents, teachers, school leadership, community and political leaders, as well as
employers that these are not normal times, hence parents' responsibilities cannot be the same as before.50
51
Recommended Good Practice | Education
• Act immediately to limit disruption. Understanding the detrimental
effects of time out of school, quickly identify and implement a strategy for
continued learning. Use existing mechanisms and infrastructure when
possible (from radio51 to online platforms) and lean on broad collaboration.
• Prioritize equity. Keep marginalized and vulnerable groups at the forefront
of policy development. Consider local context and barriers to access when
designing policies, selecting delivery mechanisms that promote equity.
• Coordinate broadly to ensure effective education response. Collaborate
across government ministries, educational institutions, non-governmental
organisations, the private sector, as well as across international borders in
order to leverage resources and expertise, and to train educators to
identify and support students in vulnerable homes, including survivors of
Gender-Based Violence.
50 Sargard, S., Calsyn, M. “3 Principles for Reopening Schools Safely During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Center for American Progress. July 16, 2020.
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education-k-12/news/2020/07/16/487756/3-principles-reopening-schools-safely-covid-19-pandemic/
51 Center for Education Innovations. “Rising Academy Network” https://www.educationinnovations.org/page/rising-academy-network
123.3 Working & Living Conditions
3.4.1 Working Conditions
It is estimated that nearly 2.2 billion workers, representing 68% of the global workforce, are living in countries
with recommended or required workplace closures. The following outlines three areas of good practice to
improve well-being of workers both in the early and late stages of the worldwide COVID-19 response:
● Access to Health Care: Several countries have taken measures to ensure migrant workers have
access to health services. Portugal has adopted provisions to treat migrants as permanent residents
during the pandemic to ensure they have access to public services, including National Health
Services. Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia provide free screening and testing for migrant workers. 52
● Protection & Safety: The Republic of Korea is supplying masks to workplaces with a high risk of
exposure including call centres and manufacturers. The Government of Singapore has introduced
medical technologies to monitor the health of foreign workers through teleconsultations, on-site
medical posts, and mobile medical teams. In Belgium, a prevention adviser is allocated to each
enterprise to assist in taking preventive measures. 53
● Access to information: Civil society organizations in Thailand are reaching out to migrant workers
with information on protecting against COVID-19, including how to access healthcare. In Iceland and
Finland, trade unions have initiated Covid-19 information campaigns in several languages targeting
migrant workers.54
3.4.2 Living Conditions
As governments implement public health measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, it is necessary to
consider the effect of these policies on vulnerable and marginalized groups in society. The following
highlights good practices for government strategies to mitigate negative effects of policies on the living
conditions of vulnerable populations:
● The US has allocated $685 million to support people in social housing with personal protective
equipment, childcare costs, and travel for COVID-19 testing.55
● To contain the spread of COVID-19, countries with overcrowded prison systems have decided to
grant some prisoners early release or furlough. Germany has released around 1,000 prisoners
sentenced for minor crimes. Afghanistan has ordered the release of 10,000 prisoners, mostly
women, juveniles, sick prisoners, and those aged 55 years and above.56
● Countries with populations that have poor access to the internet have started investing in short-term
solutions to address digital barriers for households to participate in work or learn-from-home policies.
Chile has established a "solidarity plan" for affordable internet access in partnership with the private
52 COVID-19 Crisis and the Informal Economy Immediate Responses and Policy Challenges . 2020, www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_protect/---
protrav/---travail/documents/briefingnote/wcms_743623.pdf
53 “Country Policy Responses (COVID-19 and the World of Work).” Country Policy Responses (COVID-19 and the World of Work),
www.ilo.org/global/topics/coronavirus/country-responses/lang--en/index.htm#FI.
54 ibid
55 “Country Policy Responses (COVID-19 and the World of Work).” Country Policy Responses (COVID-19 and the World of Work),
www.ilo.org/global/topics/coronavirus/country-responses/lang--en/index.htm#FI.
56UN DOC. “ COVID-19 preparedness and responses in prisons”
https://www.unodc.org/documents/justice-and-prison-reform/UNODC_Position_paper_COVID-19_in_prisons.pdf
13sector. Egypt has offered free SIM cards to students and Thailand has designed a public assistance
scheme, providing mobile users with 10 free gigabytes of data usage. 57
● Environmental agencies in Asia recommend emergency measures that address barriers to access
water required to follow public health measures, such as supplying sanitation in overcrowded areas
and deferring water utility bills.58
● As cases of Violence Against Women and Girls are increasing during lockdowns, many governments
have reacted by providing a higher level of protection for survivors. In Spain, the government
launched a WhatsApp chat service to connect survivors with psychologists specialized in gender
violence, while the French Government used grocery stores as a focal point to offer counselling for
survivors of gender-based violence. In Brazil, the city of São Paulo59 launched a program providing
shelter in hotels and financial assistance to survivors of domestic violence who have judicial
protective measures and are in situations of extreme vulnerability during the pandemic.
Recommended Good Practice | Working & Living Conditions
• Classify social support services as ‘essential’ to remain open throughout COVID-19.
Provide emergency investment to these services to ensure adequate provision of
protective equipment and other supplies to enable compliance with public health
measures. Essential services should include shelters, emergency food provision, and
mental health and legal services.
• Adopt policies to protect the health and safety of workers including provision of
protective equipment, safe distancing policies, and access to healthcare for frontline
and migrant workers, and workers in precarious conditions.
• Invest in infrastructure both immediately, to ensure emergency access to water and
basic sanitation, as well as in the long run, to ensure equal and access to adequate
housing, digital infrastructure, as well as water and sanitation systems.
• Implement public health measures in overcrowded living areas, including prisons
and care homes, to facilitate access to clean water, hygiene and sanitation supplies,
protective equipment, and COVID-19 testing.
• Implement childcare support policies to reduce the effect of disproportionate care
responsibilities on women and related professional ramifications.
• Implement support mechanisms for survivors of Violence against Women and
Girls, including community awareness and training for community leaders,
investments in first responders and referral pathways, as well as reporting
mechanisms, with online tools.
57 World Economic Forum. “5 ways to protect critical digital connectivity during COVID-19” https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/covid-19-5-ways-to-
protect-critical-digital-connectivity/
58 SEI. “Access to water and COVID-19: seven measures countries in Asia can take now.” April 2, 2020. Accessed on June 2 2020.
https://www.sei.org/perspectives/access-to-clean-water-is-vital-in-the-fight-against-covid-19-here-are-seven-measures-that-countries-in-asia-can-take-now/
59 “Prefeitura lança pacote de medidas combativas…)”. Prefeitura de São Paulo [São Paulo City Council]. June, 2020, 2020. Accessed on July, 18 2020.
Avaliable at http://www.capital.sp.gov.br/noticia/prefeitura-lanca-pacote-de-medidas-de-combate-a-violencia-domestica-na-pandemia
143.5 Good Practice: State Capacity & Scope of Policy Response
The design of an effective social policy response will depend on the context of social inequalities, as well as
the capacity and scope of the state. Depending on the pre-COVID-19 state scope, immediate social policy
responses will vary.
At a minimum, governments should seek to provide a social safety net that provides a basic level of income
security and welfare throughout the course of the pandemic. Based on the extent of the state’s social
protection systems, governments should target interventions that provide basic protection for its most
vulnerable populations and work towards achieving an “activist” role in providing a more comprehensive
suite of long-term social policies that enable the state to build back better post COVID-19.
COVID-19 Social
Pre-COVID-19 State Scope Sample Policy Responses
Policy Area
Level One: State scope Social Assistance • Increasing Social Safety Nets
Minimal includes national including cash-based and in-kind
security, law and transfers
order, antipoverty,
and public health.
Level Two: State scope Social Assistance • Expanding social assistance and
Intermediate includes basic Social Insurance insurance programs
education, social Education • Offering moratoriums or freezes
insurance, utility Working & Living on expenses, such as utilities
regulation, Conditions • Implementing immediate
insurance continuity of education policies
regulation. • Provision of basic health care,
access to water and sanitation,
and protective equipment
Level Three: State scope Social Assistance • Labour Market Coordination
Activist includes asset Social Insurance • Establishing Long-term
redistribution, Education progressive redistribution such as
coordination of Working & Living Universal Basic Income
markets. Conditions
Table: Social Protection State Capacity Level
Level 1: Minimal | Limited social assistance systems exist, are likely insufficient to meet the needs of
vulnerable populations. Governments in this category should seek to rapidly scale-up existing social
assistance systems or introduce new measures if existing programs do not exist, to ensure an immediate
response to the crisis. This may require working with social partners and other stakeholders in coordinating
policy responses, as well as seeking international support.
Level 2: Intermediate | State scopes cuts across social assistance, social and health insurance, education,
utility regulation, and housing, however interventions are likely inadequate for the extent of COVID-19
impact. Governments in this category should seek to rapidly enhance existing social policies to reach
previously uncovered populations and ensure equity in access to social programs.
15Level 3: Activist | State scope is vast and cuts across provision of public goods and regulating private activity.
Social policies and programs are likely encompassing and robust to cover vulnerable and marginalized
populations, however, may require enhancements to mitigate impact of COVID-19. Governments in this
category should simultaneously seek to enhance social policies to ensure equity in access to social programs,
and introduce enhanced long-term interventions to build back better, and more resilient, post COVID-19.
164. Key Lessons
In drawing key lessons from countries around the world, we recommend that governments respond to
COVID-19 by acting in three broad policy response areas.
4.1 Develop & Implement Immediate “No Regret Policies”
Address urgent needs with a focus on vulnerable & marginalized groups
‘No Regret’ policies are those that are worth doing, regardless of how the situation plays out.60 We consider
policies that address existing inequalities, and prevent amplification of inequalities, as being clear no regret
policies that governments should implement immediately.
As part of these no regret policies, we encourage governments to develop policies that ensure adequate
resources and support are received by citizens, with the needs of those most vulnerable and marginalized
being placed at the forefront. This includes enhancing social services, ensuring safe and continued access to
basic services, provision of equitable and adequate educational resources, as well as Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) and other necessities to guarantee safe living and working conditions.
For these policies to be implemented quickly, existing government program enrolment and infrastructure
should be used where possible and eligibility criteria should be inclusive. While these immediate programmes
will inevitably be modified as the pandemic persists, they should be implemented with a view to setting the
stage for comprehensive long-term policies, such as instituting a Universal Basic Income, education reform,
and addressing inequalities in living and working conditions.
4.2 Cultivate Partnerships & Facilitate Coordination
Actively partner across sectors and directly with vulnerable and marginalized groups
We urge governments to call for and implement exhaustive partnerships across government ministries,
levels of government, nongovernmental organizations, and all community stakeholders, especially
representatives of vulnerable and marginalized groups.
It is through innovative and effective partnerships that governments will be able to efficiently develop and
administer policies, programs, and services that reach target populations. Local governments and non-
governmental agencies, including those representing the interests of marginalized and vulnerable groups,
can assist in identifying populations in need of support, channelling information to and from the community,
and play a role in administering programs and services on the ground.61 For example, a “whole community
approach” -- involving local and state health authorities, shelter service providers, emergency management,
law enforcement, healthcare providers, housing authorities, and local communities -- is recommended for
COVID-19 response plans for addressing homelessness.62
60 Dercon, S. “No-Regret Policies for the COVID-19 Crisis in Developing Countries.” Centre for Global Development. April 17, 2020.
Accessed June 2, 2020. https://www.cgdev.org/publication/no-regret-policies-covid-19-crisis-developing-countries
61
Gerard, F., Imbert, C., Orkin, K. “Policy Brief: Social Protection Response to the COVID-19 Crisis: Options for Developing Countries”
Econfip. April 2020. Accessed on: June 1, 2020. https://econfip.org/policy-brief/social-protection-response-to-the-covid-19-crisis-
options-for-developing-countries/#
62 Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. “Interim Guidance for Homeless Service Providers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus
Disease 2019 (COVID-19)” April 21, 2020. Accessed: June 2 2020.
174.3 Address Systemic Inequities in order to Build Back Better
Strengthen resilience for future waves of COVID-19 and other similar disruptions
COVID-19 highlights the need for governments to address the persistent systemic inequalities in society, in
order to build resilience for future waves of COVID-19 and other such crises. We have identified three policy
practices that we recommend governments institute:
Diversity & Inclusion: To ensure that the voices of vulnerable and marginalized populations are
incorporated into policymaking processes, governments must develop mechanisms to enable and
assess representation and participation in decision making. This should also be coupled with
strengthened communication regarding information and services with vulnerable and marginalized
groups.
Equity Lens: We urge governments to develop an equity lens for all public policy development and
implementation, especially in times of crisis in order to ensure that policies promote equity and will not
contribute to inequalities. Equity lenses must be country-specific, in order to address local, persistent
inequalities.
Data & Evidence-Based Decision Making: The need for quick implementation of social assistance
programs, education reform, and social service highlighted the lack of available data in many countries.
Establishing mechanisms to collect, monitor, and evaluate data and other evidence, will enable
governments to both facilitate fast and effective program delivery as well as evidence-based decision
making.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/homeless-shelters/plan-prepare-respond.html#facility-layout
18Appendix: Referenced figures
Figure 1: Share of Total Income going to the Top 1% since 1990, Our World in Data
Figure 2: Economic Inequality, Our World in Data
19Figure 3: Global inequality in living conditions, Our World in Data
Figure 4: Social Assistance Programs in Developing Countries, Source: ASPIRE (World Bank)
20Figure 5. Number of countries with planned or ongoing social protection measures in response
to COVID-19 (March 20-May 1, 2020) 63
Figure 6. Composition of global social protection response (left), and cash transfers as % of
social assistance (right) 64
63
Ibid
64 Ibid
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