Fair Finances
How tax and social spending can support the reduction of poverty and inequality in Myanmar
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for strengthened access to essential social services and the presence of a robust safety net has sharpened as households deal with the immediate shocks and long-term economic consequences associated with the virus. Early analysis indicates that informal sector workers, including farmers and migrant workers, are some of the groups suffering the most severe economic impacts due to the COVID-19 crisis, a trend that is set to further deepen existing inequalities as income levels drop further for some of the poorest in the country. Now more than ever, there is an opportunity to look towards public financial management policy tools, including taxation and budgeting, as core to supporting more equitable COVID-19 recovery efforts, including via the government’s COVID-19 Economic Relief Plan, and a fairer, more resilient economy going forward.