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Seller with a handmade mask in Rwanda: "Invest in social security systems, increase taxes for the richest"
Photo: MARGARET ANDRESEN / REUTERS
More than a third of the world's population has not received any financial support from social security systems during the corona crisis.
This is the result of a report by the aid organization Oxfam.
According to this, 2.7 billion people are receiving no help from the state welfare systems to cope with the crisis.
Oxfam analyzed government welfare systems in 126 countries for the report.
According to this, 41 percent of the additional security programs consisted of one-off payments that have now been exhausted.
Only 15 countries reportedly launched programs that last longer than six months.
Of around 100 US dollars that rich countries raise to support the population in the pandemic, only about five cents flow into social security for people in poorer countries.
According to Oxfam, governments worldwide spent an additional $ 11.7 trillion to combat the consequences of the pandemic.
Of this, around $ 9.8 trillion, or 83 percent, was spent in 36 rich countries, compared to $ 42 billion, or 0.4 percent, in 59 low-income countries.
The aid of rich countries for social security in developing countries has increased at the same time by a total of 5.8 billion dollars, according to the report.
That's around five cents per 100 dollars.
"Nobody is safe until everyone is safe"
The neglect forces people into risky behavior, such as continuing to work despite signs of a corona infection, said Ellen Ehmke, an expert on social inequality at Oxfam Germany.
"Rich countries need to understand that no one is safe until everyone is safe."
Oxfam calls for massive investments in social security systems and the establishment of a global social security fund to address rising poverty and inequality.
In addition, rich countries would have to cancel debt from poor countries.
The aid organization demands that the developing countries themselves should also invest in social programs.
For example, according to the report, Kenya and Indonesia could reduce their poverty rate by up to 30 percent by 2030 if they invested 1.7 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) in social security.
"Governments in poor countries must invest more in universal social security systems themselves and to do this, increase taxes for the richest," demanded Ehmke.
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