So far, policy discussions about tax responses to Covid-19 have focused overwhelmingly on how to offer immediate tax relief. There is a clear sequence in these discussions: tax relief today, expanded revenue collection in the future to compensate. This blog explores a less conventional argument: that African governments may want to think much more immediately about sustaining—and even expanding—taxation of rich individuals in particular. It outlines the arguments for this strategy and examines the nuts…

African countries have much experience with epidemics of communicable diseases. Nonetheless, certain aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic are new; for example its impacts on the global economy, and the extreme restrictions on social interaction that are recommended as mitigation measures. Other aspects of the pandemic are familiar; for example high levels of illness that overwhelm limited health care capacity, a spike in mortality, and the conjuncture of these two elements with a severe economic downturn.This…

PSRP research on gender-based violence and its relationship to conflict includes useful insights on the likely impacts of the COVID-19 restrictions in conflict-affected settings. This blog distils some of the most pertinent insights from PSRP research, drawing in particular on Jessica Doyle and Monica McWilliams pathbreaking longitudinal study of the impact on women’s experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) of the formal end to conflict in Northern Ireland; Aisling Swaine’s comparative study of the evolution…

Background Following the West Africa Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak (2013–2016), WHO developed a preparedness checklist for its member states. This checklist is currently being applied for the first time on a large and systematic scale to prepare for the cross border importation of the ongoing EVD outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo hence the need to document the lessons learnt from this experience. This is more pertinent considering the complex humanitarian context and…

The International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) analysis and approach to COVID-19 draws on decades of experi-ence as a humanitarian and health responder in the world’s most complex crises, including as one of the largest responders to the Ebola outbreaks in West Africa and the DRC and Cholera in Yemen – the largest outbreaks of the diseases in modern history. IRC’s experience finds conflict-affected and fragile countries face a double emergency: 1. The direct impact of COVID-19…

This brief provides key considerations for engaging communities on COVID-19 and tips for how to engage where there are movement restrictions and physical distancing measures in place, particularly in low-resource settings. It is designed for non-governmental organizations (NGOs), UN agencies, government agencies, and other humanitarian and implementing actors working on health promotion, risk communication, and community engagement for COVID-19.   Download

This brief identifies political, economic and social risks related to coronavirus responses in Africa and emphasises the disproportionate burden carried by women. It argues that localised measures, which include dialogue, transparency and flexibility, may be the only realistic way forward, while underlining the need for wealthier states to provide generous aid packages, debt cancellations and continued investments, in spite of current challenges, in order for Africa to pull through yet another challenge.   Read more

This third post in the series about learning from the education response after the Ebola outbreak in West Africa looks at what some of the evaluations have shown, and highlight 4 findings that can help today’s response to the coronavirus outbreak.   Read more

In this blog post, Keetie Roelen argues that poverty puts people at greater risk of getting infected with coronavirus, and also makes them carry the brunt of its economic fallout. This transcends traditional boundaries of the ‘Global South’ and ‘Global North’ with consequences felt by people living in precarious conditions across the globe. The much-repeated meme that the virus doesn’t discriminate suggests a false sense of equality, while in fact Covid-19 lays bare and reinforces…

Amid the rising number of deaths from COVID-19, political leadership, health systems and scientific prowess is being tested locally and internationally. The pandemic provides an opportunity for innovation and new scientific discoveries. For example, the emergence of cases in Africa inspire African-based studies to tap into the diverse genetic background of Africans for important clues in the identification of biomarkers of coronavirus infection. However, for global scientific solutions to come from Africa a number of…