During the last few weeks, we have seen, heard, and read various information, in all possible media, about the pandemic that affects humanity. The impact of COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean is beginning to directly affect the lives of the population due to the decisions, both political and economic, that governments have taken in favor of social protection and human life. Everything indicates that the effects of the pandemic in the medium and long term will be severe, not only on the health of the population and their access to basic services, but also on their income and lifestyle. Social-distancing and quarantine measures, as well as an increase in the provision of health services, increase the pressure on public service systems such as energy, water, and sanitation to keep such measures effective since their continuity is vital.

Esta emergencia pone a muchos estudiantes en riesgo de abandono definitivo, y afecta no sólo su acceso a la educación sino también a programas vitales para las familias más vulnerables, como los de alimentación escolar, jornadas extendidas y actividades extra curriculares, entre otros.

The COVID-19 pandemic poses significant challenges for public debt management offices (DMOs). Some of these challenges include i) sudden and significant increases in borrowing needs; ii) volatile market conditions; iii) health and safety risks in workplaces; and iv) temporary mismatches in fiscal cash flows. Debt management preparedness to help respond to these operational, liquidity and funding challenges is critical for supporting both the efficacy of each government’s emergency response and the smooth functioning of financial markets. This note will assist debt management offices worldwide in their consideration of appropriate measures to prepare and strengthen the capacity of their debt management operations to respond to these challenges

In early March 2020, the OECD’s Interim Economic Outlook highlighted that the coronavirus outbreak had already caused a sharp decline in economic growth in China, and subsequent outbreaks in other countries were eroding prospects for economic growth. Since that time, the increasing spread of the coronavirus across countries has prompted many governments to introduce unprecedented measures to contain the epidemic. While necessary to contain the virus, these measures have led to many businesses being shut down temporarily, widespread restrictions on travel and mobility, financial market turmoil, an erosion of confidence and heighted uncertainty. This approach suggests that the shutdowns could lead to sharp declines in the level of output in many economies, with consumers’ expenditure potentially dropping by around one-third. Changes of this magnitude would far outweigh the economic recession during the global financial crisis

A reflection on how best to respond to this crisis and its economic and social effects. The series includes a regional analysis and documents analyzing the socio-economic impact of the crisis at the country level

The study of the Northwestern University indicates that compared to “regular” recessions, which affect men’s employment more severely than women’s employment, the employment drop related to social distancing measures has a large impact on sectors with high female employment shares. In addition, closures of schools and daycare centers have massively increased childcare needs, which has a particularly large impact on working mothers.

As part of CABEI's Emergency Support and Preparedness Program for #Covid-19, next week 182,000 test kits will be delivered in the member countries of the Central American region

Across the World Bank Group, efforts are underway to help governments respond to the crisis triggered by COVID-19. The priority today is to support overwhelmed health systems and the millions of workers and business owners who are being hit hard. Thinking ahead, however, the response also offers a significant opportunity to build a more resilient and sustainable future.

The hacks are global digital hackathons designed to collectively address some of the challenges humanity is facing due to the spread and effect of the Covid-19 virus.

Life as we know it has changed drastically and seemingly overnight as a result of the coronavirus. Measures are being taken to slow the exponential rise of infections and reduce pressure on the capacity of health systems to care for the sick. In the past few weeks, many countries have ramped up efforts to adopt social distancing measures such as closing schools, limiting large gatherings, and shutting borders. More recently, some countries have implemented total lockdowns, stay-at-home orders, and closures of all non-essential businesses.

The group will finance a response to the public health emergency; safety nets for vulnerable populations; economic productivity and employment; and fiscal policies to ameliorate economic impacts.

A recent exploration of economic scenarios gives some indication of the extent to which the reduction in tourist arrivals could impact the GDP of Caribbean countries. The worst scenario: a 75% reduction in tourism arrivals over the last 3 quarters of the year could reduce GDP by between 11% and 26% in the case of The Bahamas, with similar numbers for Barbados and Jamaica. Governments need urgent financial support.

COVID-19 cases have grown rapidly in a growing number of countries, triggering bold policy responses. This document focuses on containment and mitigation measures to flatten the peak of COVID-19and thus decrease as much as possible its huge strain on health care systems. The brief explains what containment and mitigation measures are, why there is a need to adopt a package of measures to enhance their overall impact, and then presents evidence on the relative effectiveness of each main measure, drawing from previous episodes of epidemic outbursts, largely to inform on a possible exit strategy once the virus is under control. Access the Country Policy Tracker to navigate the global response

El Ministerio de las Mujeres, Géneros y Diversidad del Gobierno de Argentina ha puesto en marcha una serie de medidas para enfrentar el COVID-19 desde un enfoque de género y diversidad, incluyendo medidas de asistencia integral ante situaciones de violencia por motivos de género, medidas específicas de articulación interinstitucional e intersectorial en situaciones de violencia, fortalecimiento de lazos comunitarios y solidarios para la prevención y asistencia de situaciones de violencia, recomendaciones y acciones en materia de cuidados durante el aislamiento social preventivo y obligatorio, medidas especiales para niñxs y adolescentes y población LGBTI+ durante el aislamiento social, medidas para promover la participación social y ciudadana a través de dispositivos virtuales y difusión de contenidos culturales para la igualdad de género.

With the spread of the covid-19, countries are implementing emergency plans to slow down and limit the spread of the virus –and prepare for a possible longer term disruption of school and university attendance. Every week of school closure will imply a massive loss in the development of human capital with significant long-term economic and social implications. While this is a strong stress test for education systems, this is also an opportunity to develop alternative education opportunities. China, which was hit first by the corona virus, is already well advanced in providing a large share of its students with access to online learning opportunities

The unfolding COVID-19crisis is challenging people, households and firms in unprecedented ways. Containing the pandemic and protecting people is the top priority. But disrupted supply chains, containment measures that are limiting economic and social interactions and falling demand put people’s jobs and livelihoods at risk. An immediate employment and social-policy response is needed. Reducing workers’ exposure to COVID-19in the workplace and ensuring access to income support for sick and quarantined workers are essential. Working parents need help with unforeseen care needs as schools are closing and elderly relatives are particularly vulnerable. Short-time work schemes can help protect jobs and provide relief to struggling companies, as evidenced during the last financial and economic crisis. Workers who lose their jobs and incomes, including those in non-standard forms of employment, need income support. As companies are suffering from a sharp drop in demand, rapid financial support through grants or credits can help them bridge liquidity gaps. Many affected countries introduced or announced bold measures over the last days and weeks, often with a focus on supporting the most vulnerable who are bearing a disproportionate share of the burden. This note, and the accompanying policy table, contributes to evidence-sharing on the role and effectiveness of various policy tools.

La Relatoría Especial sobre los Derechos Económicos, Sociales, Culturales y Ambientales (REDESCA), elaboró lineamientos para la protección integral de los derechos humanos y de la salud ante la pandemia en la región (CP n. 060/20).

Government systems prepared for an effective response in terms of containment and mitigation

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is scaling-up its plans to address the mobility aspects of the global response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic with a new funding requirement of USD 116.1 million. 

The COVID-19 crisis continues to be an unprecedented challenge for today’s world. It’s pushing the boundaries of the public sector in responding to the socio-economic fallout, of civil society in building and maintaining solidarity and of the private sector in transitioning to new business models.