Knowledge

Key Considerations: COVID-19 in Informal Urban Settlements

Social Science in Humanitarian Action Platform (2020)

The combination of population density, limited infrastructure and lack of access to basic services turns informal settlements into particularly vulnerable targets for the COVID-19 pandemic. This brief prepared by the Social Science in Humanitarian Action Platform identifies known vulnerabilities and sheds light on key considerations to be taken into account by local stakeholders to protect informal urban settlements from the spread and impacts of the disease.

City Resilience Stories Webinar Series - COVID-19: Coping, Learning & Building Urban Resilience

ICLEI (2020)

The ICLEI Resilient Development Program has launched a new webinar series featuring cities and their stories concerning the development and implementation of resilience and adaptation measures at the local level. During the first webinar at the beginning of April, David Jácome Polit and Piero Pelizzaro, Chief Resilience Officers from Quito and Milan, shared their cities’ experiences with coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. Special attention was paid to issues related to disaster response, distribution of aid, vulnerable populations, multi-level governance, and jurisdiction competencies in the context of the sanitary crisis. A recording of the session can be found on Youtube (https://bit.ly/3bfEOPW). The upcoming sessions will be announced on ICLEI’s homepage in due time.

The Response of African Local Governments to the COVID-19 Pandemic (in French)

While a large part of the world's population has been confined in recent weeks, the measures adopted as a matter of urgency have highlighted the fundamental role of local governments in the fight against #COVID19.

In the framework of the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa, this report, produced by GIZ, presents a number of measures taken by African cities to deal with the Covid19 pandemic. It is mainly addressed to French-speaking local actors in the region and aims to share some initiatives and good practices with African and international actors interested in the issue of local management of the Coronavirus.

The report is in French.

Subnational Governments and the 2030 Agenda: Strengthening Policy Effectiveness and Legitimacy with the Localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals

Barcelona Institute of International Studies (IBEI) (2019)

In its study on subnational governments and the 2030 Agenda, the Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals (IBEI) explores the issue of “Governance through Goals” that underpins the concept of the SDGs and is legally not binding in nature. The question of how consistent policy support and the local implementation of the SDGs can thus be guaranteed is at the heart of the study. According to IBEI the inclusion of stakeholder’s preferences, the accountability of local authorities to citizens and the sensitivity of policies to territorial economic, social and political circumstances are crucial for successful SDG implementation. Both the design of the SDGs as well as their potential for localisation are touched upon in detail in the report.

Global Policy, Local Implementation – Impacts of the Global Compact on Refugees

Diplomatisches Magazin (2020)

As a reaction to the growing number of refugees fleeing to the European Union, the UN member states forged the Global Compact on Refugees in 2018. The Global Compact is meant to strengthen the international response to large movements of refugees and protracted refugee situations. Yet, in contrast to the agreements put in place by the international community, it is the cities and municipalities of the global South that have to carry the substantial burden. The question of how the policy interests and goals of local actors can be fulfilled while acting in accordance with the guidelines of the Global Compact is explored in this news article by Eva Dick and Markus Rudolf.

#12 Why Local Government Finance is Essential to the COVID-19 Response

UNCDF (2020)

UNCDF’s podcast Capital Musings explores all matters finance related at the domestic level. From financing for climate adaptation, to municipal finance solutions or female economic empowerment, it touches upon all topics related to sustainable development with a special focus on necessary measures to reduce poverty and support local economic development in the world’s 47 least developed countries (LDC).

In its 12th episode the show examines the role of local governments for the COVID-19 response and how their capability to respond to the crisis is hampered by missing funding in LDC’s. With his two interview partners, , the show’s host attempts to answer the question: COVID-19 Emergency Response. Local Government Finance. Guidance Note for Immediate Action” (featured

Fill the Gaps, Feel the Pain: Insights from Sierra Leone on an Epidemic’s Impact on Local Taxation, Public Services, and the Poor

In her blog Vanessa van den Boogaard, research fellow at the International Center for Tax and Development, explores the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic on local tax systems, public service delivery and the poor. Her insights are based on experiences gathered in the country of Sierra Leone during the Ebola epidemic, which killed more than 3,900 people in the country alone, and therefore offers important insights into the indirect economic effects of such health crisis. Van den Boogaard concludes that as a result of decreased income from local taxes and revenues during the crisis and due to the shift of donor funds to public health needs, individual financial burdens of citizens to uphold service delivery increased and the poor were substantially excluded from access to public goods. Drawing on the results of her analysis she summarises important lessons learned from Sierra Leone and gives concrete recommendations on how to handle the COVID-19 outbreak and mitigate the economic impact.

The Future of Tax for Development

ODI (2020)

In ODI’s new publication on “The Future of Tax for Development” four experts share their perspectives on how taxation schemes need to be adapted to serve the advancement of SDG implementation in a most efficient manner. Four different thematic areas are explored: Hazel Granger discusses the design of fair and efficient tax systems for low-income countries. Martin Evans explains the role of informal taxes and transfers for social protection and fiscal welfare. Samuel Sharp looks at how civil society can promote tax reforms. And Linda Calabrese explores the potential of taxation for general economic transformation.

Shared Responsibility, Global Solidarity: Responding to the Socio-Economic Impacts of COVID-19

UN DESA (2020)

In its report UN DESA explores the social, economic and multidimensional ramifications of the COVID-19 outbreak. Next to recommendations to suppressing the spread of the disease, the report carves out the pandemic’s implications for the realisation of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement. Intended as a call to action for national, sub-national and local governments and partners, the brief outlines sustainable solutions to cope with the identified impacts at the global, regional and national level and calls for strong partnerships to accelerate the global response.

Series on Urban Culture and its Relevance for Recovery in Post-Conflict Settings

Urbanet (2020)

Societies trapped in conflict and crisis often lack access to and opportunity for cultural expression. This appears to be the general consensus. But what role does culture play for reconciliation and recovery? Can culture be a facilitator of peace and good governance? The city of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegowina serves as an example that when reconstructing a city after violent conflict, investments in its appearance can provide hope and orientation to citizens. The blog series by Urbanet on Urban Cultures invites us to rethink the role of culture for societies after conflict.