CANBERRA, Australia, Jul 06 (IPS) – Raghbendra Jha is Professor of Economics, and Executive Director Australian National University. The onset of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020 set off a series of health and economic crises that feed upon each other. The health crisis exacerbates the economic crisis by disrupting supply chains, throwing large number of people (particularly those working in the informal sector) out of work and closing down large numbers of enterprises – particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME). The economic crisis, in turn, exacerbates the health crisis for a number of reasons – not the least of which is the fact that the economic slowdown reduces the resources needed to combat the health crisis. Furthermore, the needs of both the health recovery and the economic recovery are competing for the same resources. The fact that this virus has had a global impact and some of the richest countries in the world (e.g. the US and Western Europe) are among the worst affected implies that the short-run effect of the crisis does not impact less developed countries (LDCs) unduly. However, the longer-term effects of the crisis may have deleterious effects on LDCs (particularly women and children in these countries) more than in richer countries.
Read the full story, “Impact of COVID-19 on Women and Children in South Asia”, on globalissues.org →
CANBERRA, Australia, Jul 06 (IPS) – Raghbendra Jha is Professor of Economics, and Executive Director Australian National University. The onset of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020 set off a series of health and economic crises that feed upon each other. The health crisis exacerbates the economic crisis by disrupting supply chains, throwing large number of people (particularly those working in the informal sector) out of work and closing down large numbers of enterprises – particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME). The economic crisis, in turn, exacerbates the health crisis for a number of reasons – not the least of which is the fact that the economic slowdown reduces the resources needed to combat the health crisis. Furthermore, the needs of both the health recovery and the economic recovery are competing for the same resources. The fact that this virus has had a global impact and some of the richest countries in the world (e.g. the US and Western Europe) are among the worst affected implies that the short-run effect of the crisis does not impact less developed countries (LDCs) unduly. However, the longer-term effects of the crisis may have deleterious effects on LDCs (particularly women and children in these countries) more than in richer countries.Read the full story, “Impact of COVID-19 on Women and Children in South Asia”, on globalissues.org →