COVID-19 and social protection

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COVID-19 represents a ‘moment of truth’ for countries’ social protection systems. 

COVID-19 is the greatest challenge of our time, posing an existential threat to the health and livelihood of the world’s entire population, yet affecting each country differently. Lockdowns in response to the pandemic have severely restricted economic activity on every continent, depriving an unprecedented number of workers in all sectors of their incomes. Many low- and lower middle-income countries lack the comprehensive social protection systems and programmes that would be needed to cushion the blow.

As economies worldwide grind to a halt due to lockdown measures, the star of social protection is rising: Governments which saw social protection schemes as ‘nice-to-haves’ now recognise that they are essential for their populations’ and their own political survival. 

Coordinating with other international partners, GIZ-supported social protection programmes are adapting to the challenge of COVID-19, helping partner countries connect their citizens to essential services such as unemployment relief, medical support and food assistance. The decisions governments are taking right now on how to protect their population against the social and economic impact of the crisis are all the more crucial because they will shape countries’ futures for years to come. The articles and events on this page provide insights into how Germany supports governments in expanding their social protection measures in response to COVID-19.