Key findings from eight NRP 80 projects
What did NRP 80 discover about young people, fiscal policy, pandemic governance and social responsibility? Eight Lay Summaries are now online. Summaries of the other projects will follow shortly.
Project: “Domestic workers and Covid-19”
Due to their social position and legal status, female domestic workers with a migrant background were hit particularly hard by the pandemic. The “Domestic Workers and Covid-19” research group investigated how legal and employment status during the Covid-19 pandemic affected the precarious situation and agency of female domestic workers with a migrant background. As the findings show, domestic workers without secure residency status and/or without a formal employment contract were particularly affected by job losses, income insecurity and limited access to support measures during the pandemic. This underlines the importance of easily accessible support and closer cooperation between government bodies and civil society organisations in order to manage crises effectively.
Project: “Swiss coronavirus policy and companies”
During the Covid-19 pandemic, economic policy shaped businesses’ expectations, their survival and their economic outcomes in Switzerland. One of the “Swiss coronavirus policy and companies” project’s key contributions is a dataset comprising 1,330 fiscal measures implemented during the pandemic at federal level and in all 26 cantons. Furthermore, the results show that the effectiveness of policy measures depends not only on the measures themselves, but also on communication, timing and institutional coordination. Timely monitoring of economic developments is essential in preparing for future crises. The web-based “Affectedness Indicator”, developed as part of this project, provides valuable insights for policymakers.
Project: “Urban spaces for young people”
Accessible places where young people could meet, be active or simply take some time out were particularly important during the pandemic. They enabled social interaction and a certain degree of independence. At the same time, young people in public spaces – particularly as portrayed in the media – were perceived as disruptive or irresponsible and were subject to greater scrutiny. For urban planning and local development, this means maintaining and further developing a dense network of easily accessible places that can be used in a variety of ways. Spaces should be designed and managed in such a way that young people can use them safely and independently.
Project: “Religion and social responsibility”
How did people decide what constituted responsible behaviour during the Covid-19 pandemic? As this research group was able to demonstrate, people with the same religious or non-religious affiliation often interpreted the pandemic differently. Their decisions to follow or resist public health measures were shaped instead by their personal worldviews. People did not simply follow or reject the measures; they reinterpreted the rules to align them with their own values.
Project: “Data during a pandemic”
The Covid-19 pandemic was one of the first major global health crises whose progression could be clearly tracked using real-time data. However, the “Data during a pandemic” project’s findings show that health indicators such as case numbers and deaths dominated media coverage of the pandemic, whilst its social, psychological and economic aspects were comparatively neglected. Furthermore, access to data does not in itself guarantee understanding. One of the project’s important practical findings is that effective communication of crisis data cannot be limited to simply publishing more or better data. It also depends on the conditions under which data are generated, shared, visualised and interpreted. These conditions must be put in place before a crisis breaks out.
Project: “Frontline work in humanitarian crises”
Frontline organisations were crucial in supporting vulnerable people during the pandemic. They played a key role in crisis management, bridged gaps in provision, adapted their support services and developed new ones. Their knowledge and experience can help government and non-governmental decision-makers at various levels to identify the impact on vulnerable groups at an early stage in the event of a future crisis, to respond in a targeted manner and to limit the long-term consequences.
Project: “Digital justice in family law”
The Covid-19 pandemic has led to increased use of digital tools in family law proceedings. However, it did not bring about a shift towards a digital justice system among legal professionals and exposed a lack of awareness of social and gender inequalities. Based on these findings, the project team is drawing up evidence-based recommendations to strengthen digital skills, infrastructure and awareness of inequalities. The research group also proposes changes to Swiss legislation to ensure fair access to digital justice in family law. It is developing training modules for practitioners.
Project: “Swiss pandemic governance”
The Covid-19 pandemic tested Switzerland’s approach to pandemic governance. The research group has therefore analysed how the constitutional, statutory and institutional framework for crisis management in Switzerland can be improved. The findings highlight the need for Switzerland to strengthen its crisis preparedness and management from a legal perspective. As a result, the research group has drawn up specific recommendations for action relating to the constitution, legislation, public administration and the judiciary.