The COVID-19 pandemic represents a major public health challenge and will have serious economic and social impacts. Governments are facing a double challenge: they have to contain the health pandemic while responding to its economic and social effects.

Social protection is an indispensable part of any coordinated policy response to the unfolding crisis, ensuring that people can effectively access health care while supporting job and income security for those most affected. Social protection increases resilience, contributes to preventing poverty, unemployment and informality, acts as a powerful economic and social stabilizer while stimulating aggregate demand in times of crises and beyond.

The ILO is doubling its efforts to inform and support its constituents and development partners in their efforts to design and put in place adapted and flexible social protection measures to address the social and economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis.