Social Protection Responses to COVID-19 for Forcibly Displaced Persons

Refugees and other Persons of Concern (PoC) to UNHCR have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to serious health, socio-economic and protection impacts. Some governments have included certain of these persons in national social protection2 COVID-19 responses, including flexible administrative and enrolment processes. UNHCR and partners support the access of forcibly displaced persons to the cash- and in-kind transfers of social assistance programmes to contribute to meeting protection and basic needs and to help boost incomes through support to informal and formal workers.

This paper provides examples of the inclusion of forcibly displaced persons to government social protection programmes. It is intended to support the building of evidence and further advocacy for the inclusion of forcibly displaced people in government responses to COVID-19 and demonstrate how the international community can support this.