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

Datos Bibliográficos

ID13112628
AutoresFatima Khan (0000-0001-7960-4998, University of Cape Town, autor de correspondencia), Mikhail Kolabhai (University of Cape Town)
Año2021
Volumen7
Número2
Fecha de publicación2021-01-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAFRICAN HUMAN MOBILITY REVIEW (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2410-7972 • E-ISSN: 2411-6955
EditorialUniversity of the Western Cape Library Service (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.14426/ahmr.v7i2.922
OpenAlexW4285546438
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas3
Referencias 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