UNICEF: government's anti-crisis financial assistance significantly contributes to poverty reduction in Georgia
UNICEF report said that it is expected that the reduction of monthly household incomes as a result of the pandemic in different scenarios will lead to an increase in poverty at different levels. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The government of Georgia's financial assistance significantly has contributed to poverty alleviation, says a microsimulation model report on the pandemic’s effect on the population and child poverty presented by UNICEF and the Georgian government today.
The study examined the possible effects of financial assistance programmes already implemented by the government of Georgia under the Coronavirus Pandemic Anti-Crisis Plan.
This included a total of 12 simulations, including analysing cash assistance scenarios for all children and monthly cash assistance scenarios for the unemployed.
The effect of the models is projected separately and does not reflect the combined effect of all measures implemented by the government under the anti-crisis plan.
The coronavirus pandemic may have an impact on children and its devastating effects will last a lifetime. It is very important to have strong social security networks so that people do not fall into poverty as a result of the coronavirus crisis", said the representative of UNICEF in Georgia, Ghassan Khalil.
UNICEF report said that it is expected that the reduction of monthly household incomes as a result of the pandemic in different scenarios will lead to an increase in poverty at different levels. However, as a result of financial assistance, it is possible to slow down the growth rate of poverty.
The recommendations based on the research findings will help policymakers make further changes to strengthen social security and anti-crisis strategies in the country.
UNICEF also said that the universal cash assistance for children aged 0-17 is the most effective model for overcoming the poverty of the population and children.
According to the UNICEF study, assistance for those who are unemployed, working for a regular salary, is effective which, in case of a severe shock, can reduce poverty from the expected 30.7 to 28.4 per cent.
As of today, 600,868 children have been registered for the state social assistance programme in which children up to 17 years old will receive 200 GEL from the state.
What support can Georgian citizens expect?
The government of Georgia has announced the third phase of its anti-crisis plan in order to ease the burden caused by the coronavirus crisis.
As of now about 132,000 self-employed people have registered in total to receive one-time assistance of 300 GEL from the government of Georgia in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
Georgia will spend 3.5 billion (about $1.10b/€1.02b) on its coronavirus anti-crisis plan, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia announced earlier today. "For now, the country will spend GEL 3.5 billion on managing the crisis, of which 1.035 billion GEL will be directed at social support of citizens, 2.11 billion GEL will be directed at the economy and entrepreneurs, while 350 million GEL will be spent on the health care of each citizen", Gakharia said.
Georgia has reported nine new cases of coronavirus increasing the total number of cases to 1394. Meanwhile, four patients have recovered from the virus, bringing the total recoveries to 1132.
The overall human capital index score of Georgia is 0.57, which means that a child born in Georgia is expected to grow up to be only 57 percent as productive as they could be if they enjoyed a complete education and full health, says the latest update of the World Bank’s Human Capital Index (HCI), which measures pre-pandemic human capital outcomes around the world.
Incumbent ruling Georgian Dream party MP Sopio Kiladze has been elected the first Georgian member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Kiladze wrote on Facebook yesterday that this has been ‘a huge success’ for Georgia on the international level.
The Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies (Rondeli Foundation) conducted a study titled ‘Impact of Anti-pandemic Restrictions and Government Anti-crisis Measures on Employment, Incomes and the Poverty Level in Georgia’ during the Covid-19 pandemic and has now released its report.
Georgia has reported a total of 794 new cases of Covid-19 after conducting 40,667 tests over the last 24 hours. Out of the 794 new cases 452 were reported in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi.
123 million GEL from Georgia's StopCov fund was used to distribute 200 GEL to children under 18.
Assistance for economically disadvantaged children has increased to 100 GEL (about $31/€26) per month starting today, instead of the current rate of 50 GEL (about $15/€13), Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s press office announced.