Developing Social Security Schemes for Small Island Economies: Lessons from Fiji’s COVID-19 Experience

COVID-19 has triggered deep economic damage and devastated livelihoods to an extent never before experienced. It has revealed socio-economic vulnerabilities and so can be used as a learning platform in preparing for future shocks. In particular, it has exposed the vulnerability of households to sudden, severe, and prolonged income shock, the significance of social security as a shock response tool, and the importance of household resilience for macroeconomic stability. This study uses the pandemic as an opportunity to understand the resilience of Fijian households to profound and prolonged income shocks, given these households’ social, cultural, and economic setting. It evaluates national response strategies, household coping mechanisms, and gaps in the current social security measures in Fiji. This evaluation reveals several key lessons for a systematic response to any future shocks. The lessons may prove beneficial not only for Fiji, but also for other similar economies in the region. Policy makers can build on the operational learning and capacity developed during the pandemic, reinforce existing social security systems, and be better prepared for future income shocks. Fiji and other Pacific Island economies are highly vulnerable to climate-related risks and have endured the adverse economic effects of some extremely intense natural disasters. It is important for these economies to strengthen household resilience and develop sustainable and broad-based programs for social protection. 

开发社会保险计划对太平洋地区小岛国家以及其它经济体的教训：来自斐济新冠疫情经验的一些有用的洞见

关键词：新冠肺炎, 经济冲击, 家庭抗逆韧性, 非正式部门, 社会保险, 社会保障。

新冠肺炎已经触发了巨大的经济损失并造成了前所未有的生计损害。它揭示出种种社会经济脆弱性，因此可供作为一个平台来学习如何为未来的打击做准备。它尤其暴露出面对突发的、严重的以及长期的收入打击时家庭的脆弱性，社会保险作为一种应对冲击的工具的意义，以及家庭抗逆韧性对宏观经济稳定性的重要性。本研究以全球疫病大流行为契机，根据斐济家庭的社会、文化和经济背景来理解这些家庭面对深重而持久的收入冲击时的抗逆韧性。本研究评估了斐济的国家应对战略、家庭应对机制以及目前社会保险措施中的鸿沟。　这些评估揭示出对于任何未来冲击的一个系统性回应来说都至关重要的几个教训。这些教训可能不仅对斐济，而且对该地区其它类似的经济体也有教益。　政策制定者可以以在疫病大流行期间发展出的操作性知识和能力为基础，强化已有的社会安全体系，并为未来的收入冲击做出更好的准备。斐济和其它太平洋岛国经济体都具有面对气候相关的风险的高度脆弱性，并且承受了一些极度剧烈的自然灾害的恶性经济影响。对于这些经济体来说，加强家庭的抗逆韧性，开发出可持续并将且基础广泛的社会保障机制是非常重要的。

Translated from English by Li Guo