COVID-19 in Africa in the Context of Social Insecurity and Informality

Öz

This article addresses the reasons why African governments’ COVID-19 responses cannot be inclusive and deepen social inequalities. In this regard, it is argued that these measures are insufficient to slow the spread of the disease, alleviate the effects of the economic crisis caused by the epidemic, and provide social support to citizens. The fact that the neoliberal policies that have been implemented in Africa since the 1980s weakened the social security systems of the states and that informal employment has emerged as the driving force of economic growth in Africa are considered as the two main factors that are effective in the inadequacy of the pandemic measures. In this context, the article focuses on post-colonial Nigeria and post-apartheid South Africa, which show examples of neoliberalization on two different grounds. It also examines the social and economic effects of the COVID-19 responses of these two countries, where agricultural and urban informal economic activities are intensely observed. In this perspective, the article is based on reviewing the international news and the reports of particularly WHO and the other UN Specialized Agencies, the African Union and its specialized agency, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the non-governmental organizations, in addition to overviewing the literature developing immediately after the pandemic declaration. In this way, it is understood that most of the employees have difficulty in accessing public services, cannot benefit from the support provided against the pandemic, therefore worse affected by COVID-19. Also, the governments give these inadequate supports through donations instead of public funding and the corruption problem reveals in the supporting process. For these reasons, public opposition to the responses and management strategies has emerged, and the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, has the risk of turning into social unrest.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• COVID-19
• Africa
• Nigeria
• South Africa
• neoliberalism
• social insecurity
• informal employment

Sosyal Güvensizlik ve Kayıt Dışılık Bağlamında Afrika’da COVID-19

Öz

Bu çalışmada Dünya Sağlık Örgütü tarafından Mart 2020’de ilan edilen COVID-19 pandemisine karşı Afrikalı hükümetler tarafından alınan tedbirlerin kapsayıcı olamaması ve toplumsal eşitsizlikleri derinleştirmesinin nedenleri incelenmektedir. Bu doğrultuda öncelikle, söz konusu tedbirlerin hastalığın yayılımını yavaşlatmak, salgından kaynaklanan ekonomik krizin etkilerini hafifletmek ve yurttaşlara sosyal destek sağlamak konusunda yetersiz kaldığı öne sürülmektedir. Afrika’da neoliberal politikaların devletlerin sosyal güvenlik sistemlerini zayıflatması ve kayıt dışı istihdamın ekonomik büyümenin itici gücü olarak ortaya çıkmış olması ise pandemi tedbirlerinin yetersizliğinde etkili olan iki temel unsur olarak ele alınmaktadır. Bu çerçevede iki farklı zeminde neoliberalleşme örneği sergileyen sömürgecilik sonrası Nijerya ve apartheid sonrası Güney Afrika odağa alınmakta, sırasıyla tarıma dayalı ve kentsel kayıt dışı ekonomik faaliyetlerin yoğun biçimde görüldüğü bu iki ülkenin COVID-19 tedbirlerinin toplumsal ve ekonomik etkileri incelenmektedir. Çalışmada, pandeminin ilan edilmesinin hemen ardından hızla genişleyen literatürün yanı sıra uluslararası basına yansıyan haberlerden ve Dünya Sağlık Örgütü başta olmak üzere Birleşmiş Milletler uzmanlık kuruluşları ile Afrika Birliği ve bu örgütün uzmanlık kuruluşu olan Afrika Hastalık Kontrol ve Önleme Merkezi tarafından ve ayrıca Oxfam gibi hükümet dışı kuruluşlar tarafından hazırlanan raporlardan yararlanılmaktadır. Bu yolla çalışma, Afrika’da neoliberal politikaların yol açtığı sosyal güvensizlik ve kayıt dışı ekonominin ağırlıklı konumu nedeniyle çalışan nüfusun büyük bölümünün kamu hizmetlerine erişimde güçlük yaşadığı, pandemiye karşı sağlanan desteklerden faydalanamadığı ve dolayısıyla COVID-19’dan daha kötü etkilendiği sonucuna ulaşmaktadır. Yetersiz kalan hükümet desteklerinin de bağışlara ve hayırseverlik faaliyetlerine dayanması ve mevcut yolsuzluk sorununun sağlık kriziyle pekişmesi ise bu olumsuz etkiyi derinleştirmektedir. Böyle bir çerçevede belirlenen tedbirlerin niteliği ve uygulanma yöntemlerine karşı bir toplumsal muhalefetin oluşmakta olduğu ve en nihayetinde Afrikalı devletler açısından COVID-19’la ortaya çıkan sağlık krizinin toplumsal huzursuzluğa dönüşme riskinin belirginleştiği anlaşılmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• COVID-19
• Afrika
• Nijerya
• Güney Afrika
• neoliberalizm
• sosyal güvensizlik
• kayıt dışı istihdam

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