COVID and Society: Challenges Before a Social Work Professionals

We have faced a global health crisis very recently, in the form of COVID -19. This pandemic has been associated with killing people, spreading human suffering, and upending people’s lives. As the time has itself revealed, COVID pandemic is much more than a health crisis, for, it is a human, economic, psychological and social crisis. The COVID19 is attacking societies at their core. Over the past year or so we all have seen that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic loss of human life worldwide and has caused devastating effect on the economic and social front in terms of poverty, border closures, trade restrictions, confinement measures etc. The situation has become worse for those countries which are already having existing humanitarian crises or emergencies and are also exposed to the effects of COVID-19. Therefore, responding swiftly to the pandemic, while ensuring that humanitarian and recovery assistance reaches those most in need is critical. This pandemic has taught us that now are the time for global solidarity and support, especially with the mo st vulnerable in our societies, particularly in the emerging and developing world. Only together can we overcome the intertwined health and social and economic impacts of the pandemic and prevent its escalation into a protracted humanitarian catastrophe with the potential loss of already achieved development gains. International forums including the UN asserted that, we must recognize this opportunity to build back better. We are committed to pooling our expertise and experience to support countries in their crisis response measures and efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. We need to develop longterm sustainable strategies to address the challenges facing the health sectors among others. Priority should be given to tackling rural poverty and mental health issue, in particular through more and better jobs in the rural economy, extending social protection to all, facilitating safe migration pathways and promoting the formalization of the informal economy.