Inclusive or exclusive? Examining the dynamics of social protection in Saudi Arabia

IF 1.5 Q2 POLITICAL SCIENCE

Global Social Policy Pub Date : 2024-01-17 DOI:10.1177/14680181231222392

Anis Ben Brik

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

This article provides an analysis of social protection responses to the pandemic in Saudi Arabia with a focus on policies targeted at migrant workers. Using data from multiple pandemic-era policy tracking databases and other resources, we use a descriptive case study through the lens of comparative welfare regime theory to include a comprehensive set of social protection and labor market measures. We found that, in sum, the Saudi government expansively scaled up its social protection system in response to COVID-19 with 86 implemented social protection measures. Labor market policies in the form of wage subsidies, labor regulations, and activation measures were the most prevalent type of social protection responses used by the Saudi government, complemented by social assistance measures in the form of cash transfers, food, vouchers, utility, and financial obligation support. Social insurance measures such as paid sick leave, healthcare insurance, unemployment insurance schemes, and social security contributions were the least adopted. Despite its expansions, the Saudi social protection system continued to largely neglect non-citizens and migrant workers. Saudi social protection system must pivot toward the full inclusion of non-citizens and migrant workers. COVID-19 has highlighted systemic gaps in Saudi social protection systems. It has magnified some of the country’s critical social protection challenges, which can inform future crisis response and the development of social protection systems.

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包容性还是排他性？研究沙特阿拉伯的社会保护动态

本文分析了沙特阿拉伯针对大流行病的社会保护对策，重点关注针对外来务工人员的政策。利用大流行时期的多个政策跟踪数据库和其他资源中的数据，我们通过比较福利制度理论的视角进行了描述性案例研究，纳入了一整套社会保护和劳动力市场措施。我们发现，总而言之，沙特政府针对 COVID-19 扩大了其社会保护体系，实施了 86 项社会保护措施。以工资补贴、劳动法规和激活措施为形式的劳动力市场政策是沙特政府采用的最普遍的社会保护对策，此外还有以现金转移、食品、代金券、公用事业和财政义务支持为形式的社会援助措施。带薪病假、医疗保险、失业保险计划和社会保障缴款等社会保险措施采用得最少。尽管有所扩大，但沙特的社会保障体系在很大程度上仍然忽视了非公民和移徙工人。沙特的社会保护体系必须转向全面纳入非公民和移徙工人。COVID-19 强调了沙特社会保障体系的系统性缺陷。它凸显了沙特在社会保护方面面临的一些严峻挑战，这些挑战可以为未来的危机应对和社会保护体系的发展提供参考。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Global Social Policy POLITICAL SCIENCE-

CiteScore

3.20

自引率

6.70%

发文量

期刊介绍： Global Social Policy is a fully peer-reviewed journal that advances the understanding of the impact of globalisation processes upon social policy and social development on the one hand, and the impact of social policy upon globalisation processes on the other hand. The journal analyses the contributions of a range of national and international actors, both governmental and non-governmental, to global social policy and social development discourse and practice. Global Social Policy publishes scholarly policy-oriented articles and reports that focus on aspects of social policy and social and human development as broadly defined in the context of globalisation be it in contemporary or historical contexts.