Multidimensional poverty and vulnerability to COVID-19: A rapid overview of disaggregated and interlinked vulnerabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa

Report

The COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting lives all around the world. At present, the highest numbers of diagnosed cases are in Europe and the United States.1 But the virus is spreading swiftly across sub-Saharan Africa, from well-connected and densely populated urban centres to remote and disadvantaged rural areas. Rapid, large-scale policy responses are required to protect those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19, while mitigating additional human costs from other existing deprivations. Why does context matter? For some, COVID-19 is the biggest immediate threat to their life and livelihood. But the survival and livelihoods of many in sub-Saharan Af- rica are, at the same time, gravely threatened by other conditions – ranging from abject poverty and food insecurity, to natural disasters or production shocks, conflict, or unmet health needs. Throughout the policy planning process there is also a need to assess the impact that new deprivations, such as job loss during lockdown, will have on the lives of all members of a household, even if they do not contract the virus. How can policy actors access evidence on the multiple vulnerabilities people face, and so respond decisively to COVID-19 without unintentionally creating even worse situations for many people? This briefing provides a first cut of evidence on the situation within 467 subnational regions across 40 countries of sub-Saharan Africa. It maps some simultaneous deprivations that people are already facing, so policy actors can adjust COVID-19 responses using evidence on differing levels of vulnerability. Maps on OPHI website cover each of the 467 regions in greater depth.

Authors: Alkire, S; Dirksen, J; Nogales, R; Oldiges, C

• Publication status: Published
• Publisher: Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative
• Series: OPHI Briefings
• Place of publication: Oxford, UK
• Publication date: 2020-05-15
• Paper number: 54
• Language: English
• Keywords: Sub-Saharan Africa; multidimensional poverty; Covid-19