Covid-19 and its impact on the informal economy in Sub-Saharan Africa: Results from national representative surveys in 6 African countries

Event Type
Online Roundtable

Location / Date
Online, 10.02.2021

Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation (FES), German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), International Labour Organization (ILO)

It is still difficult to assess the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on several dimension. This is particularly the case for the informal economies in developing countries. Severe lockdowns in many developing countries appear to have had some success in dealing with the pandemic but the economic, social and even political consequences are still very much unknown. Despite the importance of the informal economy for the economic and social future of African countries, no substantive research based on country-wide representative surveys has been done to inquire on the views of those who operate in the informal economy and appraise their economic and social situation. The German Development Institute/ Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation (FES) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) will jointly hold an online roundtable that is meant to present first empirical results from six national representative surveys. The results may provide a better understanding of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and a basis for the extension of national social protection schemes, the strengthening of informal economy groups and more targeted involvement of African trade unions in organizing in the informal economy.

Schedule

Welcome note and introduction

• Dr. Manfred Öhm, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES)
• Dr. Julia Leininger, German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE)

Panel 1: Access to health and health insurance coverage

• Florence Bonnet, International Labour Organization (ILO)
• Dr. Rudolf Traub-Merz, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES)

Panel 2: Effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the informal sector

• Dr. Christoph Strupat, German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE)

Discussion

Hinweis

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