Covid-19: A Stress Test for Trust?

Research among poor households shows how distrust causes serious problems and how approaches tailored to local contexts can mitigate these

From:: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Published: 4 March 2021

Document Type:: Briefing
Theme:: Governance and Conflict, Health
Authors:: Governance at the Margins Research Team

Abstract

To tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, governments need citizens to trust messages on behaviour change, and to support more draconian steps like lockdowns. Yet, lack of trust in public authority and a prevalence of rumours are shaping people’s responses to the virus, especially in fragile, conflict-affected places. Action for Empowerment and Accountability (A4EA) research among poor and marginalised households in such areas shows how distrust causes serious problems – and how approaches tailored to local contexts can mitigate these.

This work is part of the Action for Empowerment and Accountability (A4EA) Research programme

Citation

Governance at the Margins Research Team (2021) ‘Covid-19: A Stress Test for Trust?’, IDS Briefing, Brighton: Institute of Development Studies, DOI: 10.19088/A4EA.2021.001