世界银行-危机世界中的社会保护：从东欧和南高加索应对新冠肺炎疫情中吸取教训（英）-2023.6-75页_1mb

Summary

The discussion paper analyzes the social protection responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine, focusing on their effectiveness in building resilient systems.

Countries leveraged existing programs and introduced innovations, such as wage subsidies and expanded unemployment benefits, to address pandemic-related income losses. However, rigid administrative systems, complex eligibility criteria, and weak information systems hindered the ability to quickly identify and support the most vulnerable households. This was exacerbated by low benefit adequacy and gaps in coverage, particularly for informal workers and those not already enrolled in social assistance programs.

Key lessons emphasize upgrading delivery systems for better identification, enrollment, and payment; investing in data management and interoperability with government databases; enhancing program design features for flexibility; and ensuring pre-positioned financing. These improvements aim to support faster, more effective responses to future crises, mitigating economic shocks and protecting human capital.