Economic Consequences of COVID-19 on National Minorities

The protracted lockdown, although necessary to save lives, has impacted throughout the migration process, disrupting labour markets, the flow of remittances and prospects for development. Restoring human connectivity and a smooth circulation of earnings will not be easy. Key experts identified major challenges and explored possible action-oriented undertakings that the OCEEA could promote to support OSCE participating States coping with the sheer consequences of the pandemic.

Introductory Remarks

• Moderator: Mr. Christophe Kamp, Director and Officer-in-Charge, Office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities

• Ambassador Vuk Žugić, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities

Speakers

• Dr. Jennifer Jackson Preece, Associate Professor of Nationalism, London School of Economics, UK

• Mr. Victor Meseguer, Director, Social Economy Europe, Brussels

• Ms. Monica Rossi, Senior Policy Advisor, Mayor’s Cabinet, Special Office for Roma, Sinti and Caminanti, Rome, Italy

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Multilateral organisations, as well as each member state of these organisations, should promote accounting for different factors that contribute to how adversely different groups of minorities are affected by COVID-19. Worldwide, security and stability are at risk, with the income disparity likely to grow the longer lockdown measures persist.

• Minority groups residing at border regions tend to face more severe consequences in the form of lost hours and wages following border closings. These border regions’ groups are also more likely to be in low-paying, precarious jobs.

• Minority women’s participation in the formal labour market needs to be encouraged and promoted through policy integration and implementation considering that women face some of the harshest consequences of lockdown measures as well as the additional barriers when confronted with access to childcare and lack of public infrastructure.

• Multilateral organisations and individual countries are encouraged to address the unequal access to health services and cures for minority groups, which has been aggravated by COVID-19 measures, cognizant of the highest risk of contracting COVID-19 for minority groups due to low-wage, informal labour markets they are often involved, the often lack of identity documents and the often lack of access to online resources.

• Promoting a positive eco-system for social economy enterprises should be considered one key tool that could be beneficial for the socioeconomic inclusion of minority groups, during and beyond the pandemic, considering that at its foundation, the social economy focuses on people over capital, reinvesting returns in the enterprise for the benefit of workers and members, supporting social cohesion, enhancing a resilient, sustainable and human-centred model of economic growth.

• Ensuring an intersectional approach is most relevant in thinking through measures and policies in support of minority groups during and beyond the pandemic, considering the multiple factors contributing to how adversely a minority can be affected by COVID-19, which would require a whole-of-the-government and a whole-of-society  approach, engaging local and central authorities, trade unions and social parties, civil society.