Shock-Responsive Social Protection for Displaced Persons in the IGAD Region: Lessons from COVID -19 Compounding Risks

Abstract

Large-scale disasters and shocks are becoming increasingly frequent, protracted and complex. Social protection system is a potentially  effective mechanism in reducing the impacts of these risks on vulnerable households and to build their resilience. The need for social  protection for migrants during crisis came into sharp focus during the COVID - 19 pandemic. The study used in-depth desk review from  secondary sources complemented with key informant interviews from four countries - Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Somalia. The findings  show that IGAD Member States with less - developed social protection systems such as Somalia were poorly prepared and  struggled to launch rapid and effective social protection responses to COVID - triggered hardship to cover migrants. Unlike non-migrants  who were registered as additional beneficiaries on national cash transfer programmes, many migrants lacked similar social protection in  the duration of lockdown. In view of complex future shocks in the context of a changing climate, states are strongly encouraged to  strengthen their social protection measures to be shock-responsive by reforming their laws, strengthening collaboration, develop data  sharing protocols and information management system and linkages to early warning systems to trigger swift transfer of resources in  the event of a crisis. This study offers lessons that will inform future inclusive policy responses on social protection for migrants during  crises.