In response to the health emergency created by the Covid-19 pandemic

El CLACSO Working Group on Poverty and Social Policies It considers that the health crisis caused by COVID-19 is severely affecting our societies and has triggered an economic and social crisis that compels us to discuss not only the neoliberal policies imposed over the last three decades but also the development models adopted in Latin America. In particular, it is imperative to review the parameters of wealth management and distribution, capital-labor relations, and strategies for exploiting natural resources.

As Ignacio Ramonet(1) recently stated, no pandemic was so swift and of such magnitude; it not only manifested itself in a health crisis, but also translated into what the social sciences describe as “total social fact”, in the sense that it disrupts the entirety of social relations, the totality of actors, institutions and values.

The health crisis triggered by this pandemic is primarily concentrated in cities, and overcoming it requires the population to accept confinement measures in their homes, adhering to two essential recommendations: “stay home” and “wash your hands.” These basic measures are confronted by the significant inequalities in housing conditions and the urban environment of our city neighborhoods, as well as the inequity in access to and quality of basic necessities, such as water.

One of the most serious social effects of this pandemic will be the increase in poverty and the widening of inequalities, as well as the increased vulnerability of the poorest social segments (2). This is a large-scale crisis with severe consequences for employment and household income. In this context, those who lose their jobs are generally the most precarious social sectors, those who work in the informal labor market, and those who receive the lowest wages. In addition, there is the large number of workers who have seen their working hours and/or wages reduced, as is the case for those who work extensively in street vending in our cities.

Our priority research topics have been the analysis of rural and urban poverty, significant socioeconomic and territorial inequalities, and the full range of social policies related to health, education, housing, employment, and poverty alleviation. We have adopted a rights-based approach, emphasizing the legal recognition of these rights at the national and international levels, and have identified current economic models that perpetuate income concentration and negate or reduce the impact of public policies aimed at alleviating poverty and improving citizens' incomes.

But this health crisis presents new challenges and necessitates a renewed research agenda on social and urban issues, the vulnerable conditions faced by large segments of the population, and social protection systems. In this context, it becomes essential to discuss and analyze the range of unfulfilled rights and their interrelationships. It is clear that these marginalized communities, with fewer resources, bear the brunt of the negative effects of natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes, floods, hurricanes) and, currently, this unprecedented health crisis. The starting point is to link the right to health with the right to decent housing, as well as with other fundamental rights: economic, social, cultural, and environmental. The numerous research studies produced in Latin America that demonstrate the appalling living conditions of homes in low-income sectors, primarily in distant peripheries or in centrally located enclaves of poverty in our cities, must be revisited, with the demand that governments make their best efforts and allocate sufficient resources to achieve a better quality of life for all.

The pandemic is spreading more intensely and rapidly in cities, where population densities are high, but also where living conditions for the poor are extremely poor. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the negative effects of the health crisis on social groups that already face a range of social disadvantages due to their ethnicity, gender, language, immigration status, age, or place of residence. Equally important is the impact on the middle class, whose incomes will likely be reduced, potentially leading to defaults on previously agreed-upon obligations (rent payments, mortgage installments, personal loans).

The virus has stages, and in the early stages of the pandemic, it entered our region through people arriving from abroad who live in neighborhoods that offer a good quality of life. But once this initial phase is over, when community transmission occurs, the reach of the pandemic depends on people's health conditions, hospital capacity, housing conditions, and the urban environment in which they live. Therefore, at this time, the pandemic is concentrated where the poor of our cities live in precarious conditions: in slums, informal settlements, and favelas.

Given this situation, there is no comprehensive approach to the design and implementation of urban social policies across different levels of government (national, state or provincial, and local), nor are there effective intergovernmental coordination mechanisms. Furthermore, it is essential to promote decision-making processes that foster the creation of basic living conditions for all citizens, guaranteeing access to quality food, healthcare, services, and public benefits, and establishing a regional framework for income distribution. Local governments must also play a crucial role in this process because they are the authorities closest to the people and must provide an immediate response to this difficult situation.

There is no doubt that this crisis puts the health systems of nation-states under scrutiny, some of which were dismantled or privatized during the period of structural reforms and within the framework of the implementation of neoliberal policies and the weakening of Latin American social welfare systems. This contingency affects to a lesser extent those countries that, in recent decades, have developed inclusive public policies in the pursuit of guaranteeing the right to health for all citizens, particularly the most disadvantaged segments of the population. Even so, all public health systems must be rethought to provide proactive and effective responses to a global health and social crisis. 

Addressing these social demands requires restructuring government budgets, allocating sufficient public resources to promote a sustained social investment strategy across the various areas mentioned. For this to be possible, a development model is needed that fosters growth and substantial changes in the course of the post-pandemic economy. Furthermore, given the increase in poverty, political forces in the executive and legislative branches must create a guaranteed minimum income capable of ensuring dignified and healthy living conditions for all citizens who require it.     

Finally, we believe that the role played by universities and public research centers in the region is crucial in the face of the health crisis. Without abandoning their core teaching and research functions, they have strengthened their outreach to society, redirecting their work agendas and reaffirming their social commitment through actions aimed at supporting those most in need. Given the significant challenges posed by the current situation, the role of higher education institutions will be further strengthened by providing new scientific and technological knowledge that will help overcome the serious health, economic, and social crisis facing Latin American countries.

(1) See Ramonet, Ignacio “Coronavirus: the pandemic and the world-system”, in Le Monde Diplomatique, May 4, 2020
(2) The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) projects an increase in the number of poor people of 28.7 million, which will lead to 214.7 million people living in poverty by the end of the year.

May 2020
CLACSO Working Group
Poverty and social policies

This statement expresses the position of the Working Group on Poverty and Social Policies and not necessarily that of the centers and institutions that make up the CLACSO international network, its Steering Committee or its Executive Secretariat.

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