The COVID-19 pandemic has affected countries across the globe, with devastating impact on vulnerable groups especially women, older persosns, children, persons with disabilities and unemployed citizens. The rapid spread of COVID-19 has revealed the need to understand how population dynamics interact with pandemics. More importantly, the upheavals caused by the pandemic present a need for demographers and policy makers within BRICS countries to consider the emergent evidence, the interaction between the pandemic and population dynamics and its implications for socio-economic well-being in the long run and the effectiveness of response and recovery measures.
Within the context of promoting South-South cooperation, BRICS Member countries will on Wednesday, 8 December 2021 hold a webinar session focusing on the impact of COVID-19 on population and development under the theme: "The Demographic Impact of COVID-19 and Response Measures in BRICS Countries."
The webinar will, provide excellent opportunities for information and knowledge sharing amongst BRICS countries on current and other pandemics that may arise in the future. It will have the participation of Ministers, senior government officials, civil society organisations and academics from the BRICS member countries. It further creates a platform to share strategies on how to deal with the current and other pandemics which may arise in future.
The webinar is organised by the Government of the Republic of South Africa in collaboration with the current BRICS Chair, the Government of India under the guiding principles of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action and key actions, which focuses on expediting the implementation of existing intergovernmental and multilateral initiatives. In addition, this initiative is supportive to the United Nations work conducted on population and related social matters and contributes to the attainment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the webinar planned as follows:
Date: Wednesday, 08 December 2021
Time: 13h00 - 16h00 (CAT)
Venue: Virtual
Media RSVPs may be directed to Ms Nomfundo Lentsoane on 066 480 6845 / NomfundoLe@dsd.gov.za
Media enquiries may be forwarded to Ms Lumka Oliphant on 083 484 8067 or LumkaO@dsd.gov.za
