Gambling with COVID-19 Makes More Sense: Ethicaland Practical Challenges in COVID-19 Responsesin Communalistic Resource-Limited Africa

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Informed by evidence from past studies andexperiences with epidemics, an intervention combiningquarantine, lockdowns, curfews, social distancing, andwashing of hands has been adopted as“internationalbest practice”in COVID-19 response. With massivetotal lockdowns complemented by electronic surveil-lance, China successfully controlled the pandemic incountry within a few months. But would this work forAfrica and other communalistic resource-poor settingswhere social togetherness translates to effective sharingof basic needs? What ethical and practical challengeswould this pose? How would communalism be translat-ed in special…

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Building back with Justice: Dismantling inequalities after COVID-19

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In this report, Christian Aid is calling for a global response package to deal with the immediate impacts of the crisis to build social and economic resilience to future crises, tackles poverty and inequality, and set the world on a trajectory to meet the Paris climate commitments.   Download

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Journalism: The essential non-essential

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As a consequence of the pandemic’s financial effects, news organizations have been forced to adapt to the changing times. Many—in Kenya, South Africa, the US and beyond—are closing down or letting staff go. Can journalism survive? Is it our essential non-essential?This post is from the partnership between the Kenyan website The Elephant and Africa Is a Country. We will be publishing a post from their site every week, curated by Africa Is a Country Contributing…

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Pivoting to remote research on violence against women during COVID-19

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This SVRI Knowledge Exchange discusses when—and how—to safely proceed with remote data collection about VAW during COVID-19 (or similar public health emergencies). The discussion builds on recent publications developed by VAW experts, and is intended to be immediately applicable for organisations considering qualitative and/or quantitative research involving adult women during the pandemic.   Download

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Covid-19: a watershed moment for collective approaches to community engagement?

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Effective communication and community engagement (CCE) is a critical component of the response to Covid-19 in humanitarian settings. CCE can support affected people to make informed decisions, manage risk and highlight their evolving needs and priorities. Awareness of CCE’s centrality to the Covid-19 pandemic is already leading to a surge in funding and interest. However, CCE must also address new challenges such as reduced access (particularly to marginalised groups) and more complex coordination environments. Collective…

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Temporary Basic Income: Protecting poor and vulnerable people in developing countries

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As the rate of new COVID-19 cases accelerates across the developing world, it exposes the potentially devastating costs of job losses and income reversals. Unconditional emergency cash transfers can mitigate the worst immediate effects of the COVID-19 crisis on poor and near-poor households that do not currently have access to social assistance or insurance protection. This paper provides estimates for a Temporary Basic Income (TBI), a minimum guaranteed income above the poverty line, for vulnerable…

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Impact of COVID-19 in Africa: A scenario analysis to 2030

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This report presents three scenarios on the impact of COVID-19 in Africa using economic growth forecasts, mortality and efforts to ameliorate impact through social grants. Likely effects are examined on per capita income, poverty and the attainment of selected Sustainable Development Goals targets. Africa’s development trajectory has suffered a severe setback, with extreme poverty rising in all the scenarios. The pandemic threatens Africa in several ways, and the report provides policy recommendations to reduce vulnerability…

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Forecasting the dividends of conflict prevention from 2020 – 2030

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This study considers the trajectories of armed conflict in a ‘business-as-usual’ scenario between 2020-2030. Specifically, it draws on a comprehensive historical dataset to determine the number of countries that might experience rising levels of collective violence, outright armed conflict, and their associated economic costs. It then simulates alternative outcomes if conflict prevention measures were 25%, 50%, and 75% more effective. As with all projections, the quality of the projections relies on the integrity of the…

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The State of the World’s Cash 2020: Cash and Voucher Assistance in Humanitarian Aid

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Since the first State of the World’s Cash Report was published in early 2018, we have seen big developments in cash and voucher assistance (CVA). US $5.6 billion in CVA was programmed in 2019, constituting 17.9 percent of total international humanitarian assistance (IHA) – double the US $2.8 billion programmed in 2016 (10.6 percent of IHA at that time). And it has not just been about delivering more CVA – there has also been an…

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Africa’s digital solutions to tackle COVID-19

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African countries are using technology in many new ways to fight the coronavirus pandemic. This report highlights some of the best digital solutions and estimates the investments required to implement the technology on a wider scale. The European Investment Bank prepared this report with the support of the United Nations Development Programme and the consulting firm BearingPoint.   Download

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