The COVID-19 pandemic is, directly and indirectly, impacting health and well-being around the globe. Illness and containment measures are compounding the social and economic disadvantages of the most vulnerable in society. These social and economic impacts stand to cause devastating setbacks to efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Pervasive inequalities between rural and urban inhabitants, rich and poor, women and men will exacerbate these effects. People in areas impacted by severe climate change, conflict, forced displacement, and migration will be even more vulnerable.

Vulnerable groups include rural women, youth and children, indigenous people, the elderly, and people with disabilities. The COVID-19 pandemic has also significantly affected migrants, including refugees and internally displaced people, casual labourers and seasonal migrants, all of whom are exposed to high risk of infection. Economic recovery programmes that do not address these inequalities and place emphasis on pro-poor recovery plans run the risk of reinforcing inequalities in the future.

Social protection will be expanded to better reach women, children, informal workers, migrants, and other underserved groups. Integrate rural areas into risk-informed and shock-responsive social-protection components, linked with early warning, conflict-sensitive programming, and climate adaptation.