On 18 May, ESCWA Executive Secretary Rola Dashti participated in a webinar organized by the Chatham House Middle East and North Africa Programme to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social safety nets (SSNs) in the Arab region.
Panelists affirmed that existing SSNs were not sustainable due to the various fiscal challenges faced by the region, which exacerbated their weaknesses and highlighted the urgent need for reforming this key element of the social contract.
During her intervention, Dashti stressed that "there has to be a re-evaluation of social assistance policies to ensure that the mechanism through which they operate is sustainable and creates opportunities that uplift people from their vulnerable status".
News
25 May 2021
Social safety nets in the Arab region
