Bureaucratic Barriers to Social Protection for Refugees and Asylum Seekers during the Covid-19 Disaster in South Africa

Dados Bibliográficos

ID13112628
AutoresFatima Khan (0000-0001-7960-4998, University of Cape Town, autor correspondente), Mikhail Kolabhai (University of Cape Town)
Ano2021
Volume7
Fascículo2
Data de publicação2021-01-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAFRICAN HUMAN MOBILITY REVIEW (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2410-7972 • E-ISSN: 2411-6955
EditoraUniversity of the Western Cape Library Service (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.14426/ahmr.v7i2.922
OpenAlexW4285546438
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas3
Referências citadas9

The economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic could be minimised by social protection instruments such as unemployment insurance and distress relief grants. This paper assesses the ability of refugees and asylum seekers to access these instruments in South Africa. In general, the bureaucratic system of asylum documentation acts as a barrier to access social protection, as exemplified by the administration of the Unemployment Insurance Fund and the Social Relief of Distress grants during the pandemic. While this problem has traditionally been articulated in terms of equality and socio-economic rights, this paper proposes that asylum administration should also be prioritised as a disaster preparedness and management infrastructure, as well as an essential service. This is to ensure refugees and asylum seekers need for protection is not neglected in a disaster

Bureaucracy · Business · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Documentation · Economic growth · Economics · Emergency management · Pandemic · Political science · Politics · Preparedness · Refugee · Social protection · Unemployment · Employment and Welfare Studies · HIV/AIDS Impact and Responses · Law · Medicine · Migration, Health and Trauma · Public Administration