Economic Inclusion for the Poorest andCOVID-19: Adaptation and Early Priorities for Medium-and Longer-Term Recovery

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Economic inclusion programs for the poorest show strong potential as part of integrated policy responses focused on containing the pandemic, ensuring food security, and supporting medium-term recovery. This note considers initial adaptations and early priorities in economic inclusion programs to support medium-and longer-term recovery efforts. The note is intended to be a resource for policy makers and practitioners faced with the dual challenge of adapting existing programs in response to a pandemic and ensuring the…

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The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the elderly in Africa

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It is now clear that the elderly is the age demographic most vulnerable to COVID-19. It is estimated that the disease kills 13.4% of patients aged 80 and older, 8.6% of those in their 70s, 4% in their 60s and 1.25% of those in their 50s. However, this data comes primarily from developed countries with resilient healthcare systems. In less-developed countries, which have shorter life expectancies, high levels of pre-existing conditions known to worsen outcomes…

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Enabling agricultural innovation systems to promote appropriate technologies and practices for farmers, rural youth and women during COVID-19

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The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will vary for different groups of rural population, with the highest impact expected to be on farmers and other vulnerable groups, especially women and youth. Targeted support is feasible only by activating a network of actors or organizations within agricultural innovation systems (AIS) and promoting customized technologies and practices suitable for location specific contexts. AIS actors include experts engaged in agricultural education, research (public and private), business enterprises (agricultural…

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COVID-19: From a Global Health Crisis to a Global Food Crisis?

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As the world faces an unprecedented public health crisis in living memory in the form of COVID-19, this special feature examines the current and likely impacts of the pandemic – the “Great Lockdown” – with a focus on international food markets. Such markets are not insulated from changes in the wider economy, therefore emphasis is placed on how broader economic shocks have, and can be, transmitted to food markets, notwithstanding the direct transmittable effects of…

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How to improve safe access to water during and after Covid-19

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In Nairobi’s informal settlements nearly two out of three people do not have access to adequate water at home. This creates challenges for the physical distancing measures needed to suppress the spread of Covid-19 as people have to leave home to collect water. Globally, 2.2 billion people lack access to safe water at home, complicating the fight against Covid-19 in low- and middle-income countries. Increased handwashing is not possible without access to water. Governments and…

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An inclusive response to COVID-19 for Africa’s informal workers

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This blog post argues that for many African countries, the pandemic threatens to reverse decades of economic progress and poverty alleviation. To sustain measures that will alleviate the socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 in Africa, we need a concerted push and substantial financial support from the international community. The choice and design of interventions need to be tailored to individual countries and situations. Most importantly, they need to respond to citizen’s needs, adapt to local dynamics,…

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The COVID-19 Crisis and Fiscal Reform in Low-Income Countries

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The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on economic output and public finances in 2020 and beyond is projected to be massive. Fiscal policy can have a crucial role in mitigating the pandemic’s overall economic impact and promoting a quick recovery. It can help save lives and shield the most-affected segments of population. Both advanced and developing countries have responded to the pandemic by implementing several fiscal measures. As of early April, their fiscal costs…

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COVID-19: Emerging Practices. Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion

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Around the world, refugees are using their skills to help the communities where they live during the coronavirus crisis. In several countries, governments have put in place special measures to authorize the hiring of foreign-qualified health professions and technicians, including those awaiting licensing or whose certification is yet to be validated by host countries. This document is a snapshot of emerging practices on livelihoods and economic inclusion to respond to the social and economic impacts…

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COVID-19 Crisis Response: Rapid Assessment Report

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Over the last few weeks Street Child, in collaboration with over 50 national partners, has conducted a rapid assessment of needs and gaps in provision for the poorest, most marginalised populations. In one of the largest global assessments of the COVID-19 crisis to date – our global report represents the perspectives of more than 12,000 respondents and illustrates the impact the pandemic is having on learning, livelihoods and lives.   Download

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The COVID-19 Development Innovation Agenda: An Economic and Financial Lens

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A successful response to both the coronavirus’s health and economic costs in less developed countries requires that we move quickly to accelerate innovation and learning. The innovation agenda comes from the uncertainty associated with any emergent crisis. To support the public health response, innovation is needed to make behavior change easier to adopt and sustain. To meet the needs of firms working to rebuild markets, impact investors should be seeking to create innovative financial products…

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