Government and business’ joint efforts to support the vulnerable groups of the population during the Covid-19 pandemic in Uzbekistan

Until mid-March, residents of Uzbekistan – a doubly landlocked state - experienced the coronavirus epidemic with some degree of surprise: the epidemic, which originally found in China, circled the center of Asia and began to spread in Europe. On March 15, Uzbekistan officially announced the detection of the first case of coronavirus infection in a citizen who arrived from France. 2 months passed and during this time the number of infected COVID-19 on May 19, 2020, has reached 2802 people, of which 2314 (82.6%) - recovered, and 13 - died. The mortality rate in Uzbekistan remains extremely low - 0.46% of the total number of cases.

In the fight against coronavirus in Uzbekistan, the best features of the Uzbek society were manifested: general support of the population and quickly mobilized government apparatus. 

On the other side, the introduction of restrictive measures against the pandemic paralyzed both formal and informal economies, which left most of the country's population without a subsistence.

Social protection systems are crucial to safeguarding the poor and vulnerable during coronavirus pandemic and crises hit.  As of May 8, 2020, a total of 171 countries (12 more since last week) have planned and adapted 801 social protection measures in response to COVID-19[1]. 

Social assistance transfers keep remaining the most widely used class of interventions (60.7% of global responses, or 487 measures). These are complemented by significant contribution in social insurance and labor market-related measures (supply-side measures). In addition, 246 (30.7%) of COVID-related measures goes to cash transfer programs.

Composition of global social protection response and cash transfers 
as % of social assistance

Cash transfers are being implemented in three ways, including expanding coverage, increasing benefits, and making administrative requirements simpler and more user-friendly. Combined, those adaptations in social assistance benefit over 1.46 billion people. Specifically, for cash transfers administrative adaptations are occurring in 27 countries.

Increases in benefits among preexisting programs are implemented in 37 countries, including transfer value being increased in 29 countries and additional payment cycles taking place in 11 countries.

Coverage extension is underway in 88 countries: this includes expanding coverage of existing programs (6 countries) and one-off programs provided in 38 countries (5 universal and 34 targeted). Combined, those adaptations across administration, generosity and coverage in cash transfers benefit over 1.04 billion people. If only consider coverage (horizontal expansion) of new and existing cash transfer schemes, these cover an estimated 577.2 million people.

There has also been a remarkable growth in measures related to social insurance - 215 measures. Developing countries have introduced selective top-ups in favor of the lower income pensioners (countries such as Serbia, Slovenia, Sri Lanka and Tunisia). Other countries like Costa Rica, Colombia, Kosovo and Mexico, have decided to anticipate pension payments. Social security contributions have been subsidized in 49 programs – a level equal to paid sick leave measures. Unemployment benefits are present in 61 cases.

The number of labor market interventions is also growing. Wage subsidies continue to dominate those interventions. There is considerable diversity in generosity and accompanying conditions. Together with wage subsidies, countries are strengthening their active labor market programs, particularly intermediation services and skills training[2].