ASEAN launches rapid assessment on COVID-19 impact on livelihoods across region

JAKARTA, 3 December 2020 –  The ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) partnered with The Asia Foundation to launch the ASEAN Rapid Assessment: The Impact of COVID-19 on Livelihoods across ASEAN

The publication aims to inform the regional response to the pandemic, and focuses on key challenges in the social welfare, labour, education and training sectors. The initiative is supported by The Rockefeller Foundation and the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

A team of specialists conducted the ASEAN Rapid Assessment through a desk review of publicly available data. On 5-7 August 2020, ASEC organised a virtual Expert Dialogue to enable sectoral body representatives and leading experts to discuss the preliminary findings.

Based on inputs and guidance from the ASEAN Senior Labour Officials Meeting, Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development and Senior Officials Meeting on Education, the report reflects several policy responses and considerations by ASEAN Member States’ (AMS) governments.

The ASEAN Rapid Assessment looks at how COVID-19 and containment measures have impacted the social welfare, labour, and education and training of ASEAN populations across ten Member States.

It consolidates measures prompted by AMS to curb the spread of the virus and to provide immediate assistance to workers, students and vulnerable populations. In addition, it acknowledges various regional mechanisms and frameworks leveraged by ASEAN Leaders and Ministers to promote collective responses.

The ASEAN Rapid Assessment provides national and regional recommendations for policy makers in shaping inclusive policies and programmes to help ASEAN people –especially those with particular vulnerabilities — resume their livelihoods and support the region during the recovery period.

These recommendations were offered at a critical juncture when ASEAN contemplated its post-2020 sectoral work plans and broader COVID-19 recovery framework.

The full publication is available here: