Even though 80 per cent of extreme poor in Asia Pacific were lifted of poverty by 2015 in Asia and Pacific, rising inequality remains a great cause of concern. High level of informalisation of labour is a worrying trend. 60% are not covered by any social protection and 40 per cent have no access to healthcare. The COVID 19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation in the region with incalculable damage on lives and livelihood. The government systems are struggling to provide emergency health care relating to COVID 19 – testing, tracing and treating. During the lockdown and shutdown, the informal sector is almost nailed and the most marginalised groups have suffered the most. They are: geographically inaccessible areas, orphan, LGBTQI, children, persons belonging to DWD (discrimination based on work and descent) communities, sex worker, beggar, homeless, small and marginal farmers, daily wage worker in the urban areas and so on. The health service for the elderly, sick, pregnant women and women with infants have been affected.

Read more & download the full report here.

View a PP presentation related to this report here.