Morocco COVID-19 Social Protection Emergency Response Project

active

The Project will alleviate the impact of the pandemic and ensuing economic downturn on the wellbeing of households and workers in Morocco, improve the capacity of the non-contributory Social Protection system to support the poor and vulnerable population, and respond to futureshocks through four main components. Component 1 - ECT in response to COVID-19 (US$165 million) will provide retroactive financing to some of the ECT made through the “Tadamon” program in March, April, and July 2020, to mitigate the impact of the strict confinement policy on informal workers and their families. Beyond this retroactive financing, the component will also disburse against the preparation and publication of a process evaluation report of the ECT, including results from social impact assessment, audit recommendations, and process evaluation and an action plan for improving cash transfer programs through a Performance-based Condition (PBC).Component 2 – Cash transfer program for the recovery and protecting of human capital (US$189.25 million) will provide financing to the Tayssir program as an effective tool to preserve income and improve school retention. It aims to ensure that vulnerable households receive the support they need to maintain their consumption and provide their children with adequate health care and basic services, and protect their food security and nutritional status, especially in rural areas. In addition, the component finances PBCs related to adjustments to Tayssir’s procedures and rules to ensure timely and continued transfers to beneficiaries in the COVID-19 crisis context, and GoM’s efforts to monitor key results from Tayssir in terms of beneficiary access to school and attendance and the delivery of the cash transfers.Component 3- Enhanced cash transfer programs for resilience (US$45 million) will finance existing Cash Transfer programs upon the achievement of strategic actions aligned with on-going government reforms and vision. These actions aim to lay the foundation for a modern and efficient social system that can promote the resilience of the poor and vulnerable and better respond to present and future shocks. More specifically, this component will support: (i) the design and preparation for an expanded FA program to include the children of informal sector workers; (ii) the harmonization of institutional arrangements for non-contributory cash transfers; (iii) the development of a roadmap for the payment infrastructure; and (iv) the design and implementation strategy for a Harmonized Cash Transfer Plus (HCT+) pilot, with accompanying measures that support early childhood development and productive and economic inclusion of the poor and vulnerable.Component 4 - Contingency Emergency Response will allow the GoM to request from the World Bank a rapid reallocation of project funds to respond promptly and effectively to an eligible emergency in the future.