b Unemployment benefits in Tajikistan :
Who receives support from the government and how much support do they receive ?
1 . Soldiers who are discharged from the army receive $ 40 / month for three months .
2 . Prisoners who are released from prison receive $ 40 / month for three months .
3 . Individuals who lose their jobs as a result of staff reduction or liquidation of an organization receive 50 % of their salary the first month , 40 % of their salary the second month , and 30 % of their salary the third month .
4 . Small-business owners , entrepreneurs , farmers , and day laborers do not receive unemployment benefits or support from the government , except for free vocational training where they can learn to cook , sew , or cut hair .
In the communities where CAI works , most people are not eligible to receive unemployment benefits or support from the government if they lose their jobs or income .
"
I really hope that the international community doesn ’ t abandon us in these difficult times . Especially now that the people of Afghanistan must fight on two fronts , COVID and terrorism . Both of them are taking our lives every day .”
– Ahmad Rustam Jamshidi Kite seller in Kabul , Afghanistan
money to their families in the form of remittances . But with the onset of the pandemic , many of these migrant workers lost their jobs and were forced to return home .
This unexpected , mass return of migrants has put added pressure on governments , forcing them to deal with a growing population of people in need , quickly disappearing resources , and increasing infection rates . What ’ s more , many migrants were returning from COVID-19 hotspots like Iran . Quarantine procedures and testing weren ’ t robust enough to keep pace with the flood of people coming across the borders , thereby contributing to the virus ’ s rapid spread .
Tajikistan is among the most remittance-dependent countries in the world . Tajik workers in Russia send home millions of dollars per year , equivalent to about 30 % of Tajikistan ’ s gross domestic product . Tajikistan ’ s president , Emomali Rahmon , told the International Monetary Fund that remittances from Russia had decreased by 50 % compared to the previous year , a frightening figure considering one out of every four families in Tajikistan is dependent upon remittances . In Afghanistan , remittances are expected to decline by around 40 % from 2019 levels . 4
Without government-sponsored safety nets like unemployment benefits , food stamps , welfare , and Medicaid , which are lifelines for low-income families in the United States , poor households in Central Asia are more likely to be sucked into a downward spiral of poverty . While foreign aid organizations like the Central Asia Institute ( CAI ) are working to reach the most vulnerable and mitigate the devastating impacts on incomes , livelihoods , and food security , economic recovery could take years .
Yet , the future is not without hope . By acting now , we can help save lives and reduce the long-term repercussions of the pandemic . With your support , CAI has already sent emergency supplies and aid to remote and underserved communities . These poor and isolated villages high up in the mountains and off the beaten path are typically the last to receive assistance from the government and aid organizations , but they are where CAI is most at home . We ’ re determined to help these communities because no one should have to navigate this pandemic alone and without support .
Turn to page 8 to see how your gift empowers Central Asia Institute to provide relief to these communities in their fight against COVID-19 . a
Oxfam estimates that the COVID-19 pandemic could push half a billion more people throughout the world into poverty . 5
1 United States Unemployment Rates ( 2020 ). Trading Economies . https :// tradingeconomics . com / united-states / unemployment-rate #:~: text = Unemployment % 20Rate % 20in % 20the % 20United , percent % 20in % 20May % 20of % 201953
2 Economic and Social Impacts of COVID-19 : Updates from the Listening to Tajikistan Survey ( 2020 , July 13 ). The World Bank . https :// www . worldbank . org / en / news / factsheet / 2020 / 07 / 13 / economic-and-social-impacts-of-covid- 19-update-from-listening-to-tajikistan
3 Afghanistan : COVID-19 Rapid Assessment of Agriculture Production and Marketing ( 2020 , July 18 ). Afghanistan Ministry of Agriculture , Irrigation , and Livestock , and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations .
4 Surviving the storm ( 2020 , July ). The World Bank . http :// documents1 . worldbank . org / curated / en / 132851594655294015 / pdf / Afghanistan-Development- Update-Surviving-the-Storm . pdf
5 Hudson , Jennifer and Hudson , David . Communicating in a pandemic : Messages that resonate with the U . S . public ( 2020 , July 28 ). Development Engagement Lab .
4 | JOURNEY OF HOPE CENTRAL ASIA INSTITUTE