Social Protection Responses to the COVID-19 Crisis in the MENA/ Arab States Region

This paper reflects on an ongoing initiative of the Regional UN Issue-Based Coalition on Social Protection (IBC-SP). The Group, co-chaired by ILO and UNICEF, was established in June 2020, bringing forward the activities started under the previous Regional UNDG group. The IBC-SP gathers regional experts from ILO, UNICEF, ESCWA, FAO, IOM, UNDP, UNHCR, WHO, UNRWA, WFP and the RCO to share knowledge, think and work together on the development of effective and inclusive social protection systems, including floors, in the MENA/Arab States region, as a key pathway for reducing vulnerabilities and building resilience to shocks and stresses, reducing poverty and achieving the SDGs. The mapping was conducted online starting in March 2020 by regional UN agencies (under the former Regional UNDG Group) and was updated until June 22 by a research team from the International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG).

Contact details: Luca Pellerano pellerano@ilo.org; Samman Thapa sthapa@unicef.org; Charlotte Bilo charlotte.bilo@ipc-undp.org