In the momentous first step in assessing the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 in Bahrain, UNDP Bahrain and the Bahrain Center for Strategic, International and Energy Studies (Derasat) have published their joint report.

This ongoing initiative in Bahrain is part of UNDP’s global effort to conduct socio-economic impact assessments (SEIA) in 117 countries across 5 regions. Unique to each country, these studies provide valuable input to policymakers and the population on the status of recovery from the impact of the pandemic. This SEIA report in Bahrain is adapted to an analytical framework consistent with the challenges that are unique to Bahrain.

The scientific rigor in the gathering of the data makes it suitable and valuable to inform policies and other actions. The data is complementary to existing information gathered by entities such as the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA). The survey asked questions regarding employment, pandemic-induced challenges, financial challenges, required Government support, and time spent on non-work tasks. The survey sample included Bahraini nationals, Bangladesh residents of Bahrain – as one of the largest expatriate community in numbers with economic contribution to the local labor market – with the UK and US surveys mainly used for benchmarking purposes.

You can view the report by clicking here.

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