ILO’s Report on Social Protection Responses to COVID-19 Crisis by Countries

According to a recent report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), measures in health and unemployment benefits were the most frequently announced responses by countries, with coverage further extended. Measures cover all functions social protection. The number of countries and territories that announced responses increased from 3 in February to 43 in March, including 63 measures announced by 34 countries just in the week of 16–22 March.

News | 09 April 2020
Chassenet / BSIP via AFP
ANKARA – The International Labour Organization (ILO) released a report on the social protection responses announced by countries to the extraordinary circumstances created by the COVID-19 crisis.

The report summarizes the results of the Social Protection Monitor that tracks announcements of social protection measures by countries and territories responding to the possible impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. The report is updated as new information and data become available.

Between 1 February and 22 March 2020, 46 countries and territories announced 97 social security measures in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The overall response rate in the world was 21.5% (of 214 countries and territories). Asia and the Pacific, the first region hit by the pandemic, made 13 country announcements (28.9% of the countries in the region), followed by 11 countries in Europe and Central Asia (36.2%), 11 countries in the Americas (24.4%) and 1 country in the Arab States (8.3%).

Only 3 countries announced measures in February, 34 countries announced 63 measures only in the week of 16–22 March

The number of countries and territories that announced responses increased from 3 in February to 43 in March, including 63 measures announced by 34 countries just in the week of 16–22 March.

Measures announced in response to the COVID-19 crisis cover all functions social protection

In the context of the COVID-19 crisis, the measures announced cover all functions of social protection. Nearly one fifth (18.9%) of the responses in the period are related to health, closely followed by unemployment benefits (17.9%). Social transfers to low-income families have also been widely adopted (17.9%), followed by adjustments to pensions (8.4%), sickness leave or benefits (6.3%), family benefits (6.3%), labour market measures (5.3%), housing subsidies (4.2%), food allocation (2.1%) and benefits for parents of children (2.1%).

Most measures provide social spending or social programme adjustments (57.9% of total) by either allocating additional financing or changing the configuration of existing programmes. The remaining measures involve the introduction of new programmes or benefits (22.1%), improvements in administration (10.5%) or the introduction of subsidies (7.4%) or tax reforms (2.1%).

Figure 1: Percentage of measures announced, by type

More than half of the adopted measures aim to increase the benefit levels, extend the coverage or relax the eligibility criteria of existing social protection schemes
Overall, more than half of the adopted measures aim to increase the benefit levels (23.2%), extend the coverage (22.1%) or relax the eligibility criteria (5.3%) of existing social protection schemes, while other measures include facilitating access to benefits (11.6%) and improving services (3.2%). New, temporary or one-off programmes have also been introduced (8.4%).
About one fifth of the measures seek to alleviate economic burdens by deferring, reducing or waiving social contributions made by employers and insured persons (7.4%), subsidizing benefits (4.2%) or social contributions (3.2%) and increasing credit and budgetary allocations (2.1%).

Figure 2: Top ten social protection responses

The report also offers a list of selected measures announced various countries.

What is social protection?

Social protection, as a social policy goal, is a social right recognised in various forms in the human rights instruments. Social protection ensures that social risks do not cause poverty, and essential services are accessed for decent living in lack of income. It consists in assistance provided to individuals and families through public and collective measures by the society to protect against lower or receding living standards due to basic risks and needs.

The International Labour Conference at its 101st session adopted in 2012 a new labour standard that complemented the existing conventions and recommendations: Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202). Social protection floors should provide four social security guarantees defined at national level: (i) Access to basic healthcare services including maternity, and basic income security to (ii) children, (iii) individuals in active age, and (iv) older persons. The Recommendation provides guidance to states in building a comprehensive social security system and extending social security through first establishing social security floors.

The European Council adopted a Recommendation in 1992 to approximate of social protection policies and issues. The recommendation adopted the concept of “social protection” instead of the concept of social security, abandoning the traditional social security narrative.

Turkey is among the countries which ratified the two key conventions adopted by ILO on social security, namely Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102) and Equality of Treatment (Social Security) Convention, 1962 (No. 118).