Social Policy Responses to Covid-19 in the Global South: Evidence from 36 Countries

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has prompted manifold social policy responses all around the world. This article presents the findings of a meta-analysis of thirty-six in-depth country reports on early Covid-19 social policy responses in the Global South. The analysis shows that social policy responses during the early phase of the pandemic have been predominantly focused on expanding temporary and targeted benefits. In terms of policy areas, next to labour market and social assistance measures, the focus has also been on unconventional social policy instruments. The social policy responses of developing economies were often rudimentary, focusing on cash transfers and food relief, and heavily relied on external funding. In contrast, many emerging economies introduced a much broader array of social policies and were less reliant on external support.

The politics of pension policy responses to COVID-19: comparative insights from Chile, Bolivia and Peru

“…2-3). Similar questions have already attracted the attention of scholars (within and beyond the region) concerned about the viability of private pension pillars and their ability to provide adequate future pensions following reversals or (more recently) withdrawals (Bocanegra, 2022;Dorlach, 2022;Kay & Borzutzky, 2022;Simonovits, 2011;Wilson Sokhey, 2017). This also points to the need to examine more carefully how policy design affects inequalities both during the pandemic, but also in its aftermath (Béland et al, 2021;Dorlach, 2022).…”

“…However, we contend that our analysis provides further evidence to emerging questions related to the future adequacy of pensions (especially for women) and to the inability of private systems to minimise political risk. These questions have been raised by the emerging literature on the social policy responses to Covid-19 (see Dorlach, 2022, pp. 2–3).…”

“…As we slowly move into the post-pandemic era, discussions are likely to emerge in the region and the broader Global South on the content of future social policies as a consequence of the short-term emergency measures implemented during the pandemic (Dorlach, 2022, p. 8). In such context, recent developments such as changes to the law-making process, as in Chile following the proposed new Constitution or the persistent political fragmentation, as in Chile and Peru, and the legacy of the private system and its capacity to provide adequate benefits may impact on the design of future pension policy.…”

“…Our analysis contributes to the emerging literature on social policy responses to the pandemic (Béland et al, 2021(Béland et al, , 2022Dorlach, 2022) while providing useful insights for other countries in the region (and beyond) that may consider implementing pension policy changes to address financial pressures. Furthermore, it contributes to the literature on pension reforms and re-reforms (Baba, 2015;Borzutzky, 2019;Wilson Sokhey, 2017).…”

Large and Honest COVID-19 Relief: A Subnational Qualitative Comparative Approach with Evidence from Colombia

“…Most of the world's governments enacted several new-or expanded existing-social assistance measures seeking to mitigate the socioeconomic toll of COVID-19 and its attendant lockdowns (Béland et al 2021;Cook and Ulriksen 2021;Dorlach 2022;Gentilini et al 2022;Greer et al 2021). As significant as these responses were, even the most generous among them did not manage to reach everyone in need or fully mitigate the income losses caused by the pandemic (Blofield, Giambruno, and Filgueira 2020;Gentilini 2022).…”