Our international network is mobilizing No images? Click here Last week’s webinar focused on Social Protection: Before, during and after COVID19. The panelists outlined how government social protection mechanisms in different countries reach people with intellectual disabilities and their families. The discussion underlined the importance of distinguishing between access to income support and programmes that cover disability related costs. Before the COVID crisis people with intellectual disabilities in most countries did not have adequate coverage of the disability related costs, during the crisis our member organizations have been advocating to ensure access to financial relief but the real challenge for the future is designing systems that reach people with intellectual disabilities and effectively support their participation and inclusion. Alexandre Cote, Center for Inclusive Policy, explained what social protection is, how social protection systems address vulnerabilities across the life-cycle and how they apply to people with disabilities. He also highlighted the disability-related costs faced by many families. He ended by presenting a new report developed by the International Labour Organization and the UNPRPD on responses to COVID-19 crisis before inviting the audience to share their knowledge and experiences. Jeleel Auberon Odoom, Director of Inclusion Ghana, Board Member of Inclusion Africa and Inclusion International, presented the impact of COVID-19 in Africa. He started by presenting the African countries that have general social protection measures in response to COVID-19 then explored the measures that specifically target people with intellectual disabilities. He finished by presenting the main challenges related to the social protection interventions implemented by African governments. Taide Buenfil Garza, General Director at CONFE, presented the social protection system in Mexico, highlighting the gaps between Federal programs and State measures. She outlined the available measures for people with disabilities and their families and shared the main challenges faced by them which have been amplified by the COVID-19 crisis. |