WEBINAR: Innovation in social protection in response to COVID-19 in the NENA region: Building on best practices cases

9 July 2020. Zoominar VIII: Innovation in social protection in response to COVID-19 in the NENA region: Building on best practices cases

This webinar discussed some of the promising digital and innovative solutions in social protection in order to limit the negative impacts of this crisis on rural poverty, resilience and food systems, including on food security and nutrition.

Recording forthcoming

• How the NENA region has been affected by the crisis? (Socio-economic impacts)
• What social protection initiatives have been implemented to support rural areas that can be scaled up and replicated? (Selected success country-cases from NENA, and other examples)
• How can governments and partners foster innovation and digital technology applications in social protection to build the basis for a more comprehensive and inclusive social protection system in the long-term?

Opening remarks:

• Abdessalam Ould Ahmed, Assistant Director General and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa – FAO
• Rabah Arezki, Chief Economist for NENA Region – World Bank, Forging a new social contract in the NENA region as a response to COVID-19.
• Facilitated by: Omar Benammour, Social protection Officer – FAO

Speakers:

• Fabio Veras, Communications, Publication and Research Coordinator – IPC-IG, Overview of the social protection response to COVID-19 around the world and in the region for FSN.
• Samman Thapa, Regional Social Policy Advisor for the MENA region – UNICEF, Overview of the child-sensitive social protection response to COVID-19 around the world and in the region.
• Rodrigo Assumpção – Social protection Management Information Systems specialist – ILO, Overview of the horizontal expansion of social protection to the informal and rural economy in Egypt or Tunisia.
• Chakib Abouzaid, Secretary General – General Arab Insurance Federation, Overview of the role of agriculture insurance as a response to COVID-19 in the region.
• Salma Zaky, Social Protection Officer & Marta Dabbas, Regional Digital Assistance Services Officer – WFP, Overview of digital technology applications in social protection in response to COVID-19 in the region.
• Omar Benammour, Social Protection Officer– FAO ESP, Overview of FAO’s work on social protection in the region and the response to COVID-19: Example of Kenya, Tunisia, Sudan and Morocco.