Unstable social welfare systems and insecurity in job market expose already vulnerable migrant workers during ongoing global pandemic.
Alin Kadfak, SIANI-SLU Global Communicator and Researcher at the Department of Urban and Rural Development at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU, has written a blog post on how migrant workers are exposed during Covid-19 crisis.
Covid-19 is not only a crisis seen to the world health with thousands of infected and diseased. It is also a crisis economically which may put millions of people in poverty around the world.
SLU researcher Alin Kadfak visited the border between Thailand and Burma earlier this year and met migrant workers exposed to more than just the pandemic crisis.
The ongoing pandemic, and the economic slowdown that’s likely to follow, will hit the poor harder than the rich, increasing the already stark inequality. Migrant workers are on the frontline of this crisis, says Alin Kadfak.
She lists five different parts why migrant workers are vulnerable in this situation:
1. Restricted mobility
2. Lack of social support
3. Limited welfare
4. Living in a limbo
5. Social distancing
Covid-19 are far away from their only concern. Closed borders, lack of important information and updates about Covid-19, poor social and welfare systems and work which requires close contact with other people are just a few problems migrant workers have to face each day to earn money for their families.
The Covid-19 crisis has not only accelerated the existing problems but also created many catch-22 situations, says Alin.