Virtual meeting: Social policy tools and analysis of inequalities to confront the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned and challenges for building universal, comprehensive, and sustainable social protection systems

Social policy tools and analysis of inequalities to confront the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned and challenges for building universal, comprehensive, and sustainable social protection systems

              The dire social, sanitary, and economic effects from the COVID-19 world crisis made governments of the region implement a group of emergency measures and programs to reduce the impact of the pandemic. These measures were specially intended for the most vulnerable population. From the ones focused on social aspects, non-contributory cash transfers, in-kind transfers, and guarantees of access to basic services standout. These made evident the fundamental role of social protection systems and their capacity to modify in the face of an emergency. In this context, expansion of coverage in pre-existent programs was achieved, and social registries were subject to a variety of innovations.

              On August 25th and 26th a virtual workshop will have place with the participation of Ministries of Social Development from the region and specialists in the matter. The objective will be to discuss and share knowledges and experiences about policy and social protection instruments to tackle inequalities and how effective these instruments can be for a transformation with equality and the strengthening of universal, comprehensive, and sustainable systems of social protection, following the Regional Agenda of Inclusive Social Development. This workshop is part of the activities designed for the United Nations Development Account projects: “Strengthening Social Protection for Pandemic Responses: Identifying the Vulnerable, Aiding Recovery and Building Resilience" and “Leaving no one behind in Latin America and the Caribbean: Strengthening institutions and social policy coherence and integration at the country level to foster equality and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”, which will contribute to the discussions leading up to the 4th Meeting of the Regional Conference on Social Development in Latin America and the Caribbean.

              During the workshop we will present analysis from the Panorama Social de America Latina 2020 and the documents “Herramientas de protección social para enfrentar los impactos de la pandemia de COVID-19” and “Caja de Herramientas. Promoviendo igualdad: el aporte de las políticas sociales en América Latina y el Caribe.”