| Abstract: |
In many countries, early, large, and sustained policy responses to the
pandemic were successful in protecting families. However, the Government of
Lebanon’s (GoL) response to COVID-19 and the simultaneous crises the country
is experiencing, in terms of socio-economic recovery measures has been very
limited if not absent. This research work aims to analyze the impact of the
lack of government actions and policies on the urban informal sector in
Lebanon. The informal sector, which makes up a significant portion of the
Lebanese economy (estimated to be at least 30% of GDP), is of interest to us
as the very few measures taken by GoL such as tax grace periods were targeted
at the formal sector. Led by the American University of Beirut (AUB) and
funded by Oxfam, the project “For Inclusive and Fair COVID-19 Socio-Economic
Recovery Measures in Lebanon, ” aims to assess the GoL decisions related to
the pandemic and to influence the orientation of government decisions such
that they take into consideration the impact on the most vulnerable population
groups, especially those working in the informal sector. |