Equity and Protection, World Health Organization, Gender, Migration, United States
development

Organisations. World Health Organization WHO
Period. 21 - 28 May 2020

The WHO and UNHCR signed an agreement to strengthen partnerships and operational capacities that focus on improving access to health services for some 70 million forcibly displaced people around the world from COVID-19.

The Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect also issued an appeal to the UN Security Council urging greater protection of civilians in conflict-affected countries. The joint letter, endorsed by dozens of leading global civil society organizations, notes the unprecedented challenges vulnerable and at-risk communities face in a growing number of humanitarian response locations. It also calls on the Security Council to reaffirm and enforce international humanitarian law, calls on practical steps and financial mechanisms, and a whole-of-society and whole-of-UN approach to prevent, respond to and mitigate the impact of COVID-19.

Physicians for Human Rights have also issued a letter that challenges the public health basis for the U.S. CDC’s announcement of indefinite extension of border shutdowns. The letter argues that this policy is driven by immigration politics rather than public health based on an expert review, which warned that this measure needlessly targets and exposes this vulnerable group based on their immigration status, contrary to U.S. law.

Hidden risks of COVID-19: violence against women and girls

UN Women published a report based on a rapid assessment to understand the impact of COVID-19 on violence against women and girls and service provision. The synthesis is based on data collection from government and civil society partners in 49 countries, highlighting the increasing prevalence of gender-based violence that often go unreported. UN Women also released an accompanying pocket tool that provides practical guidelines for gender-responsive evaluation management and data collection, structured around the four main evaluation phases: planning, preparation, conduct, and reporting and follow-up. In a separate article, researchers draw attention to the escalating global crisis in access to reproductive health.

Webinars

Future Strategy Forum: COVID-19 and Grand Strategy (CSIS) | Wednesday, June 3 (1-2pm EST)

Global crises, local action: a humanitarian reset in response to COVID-19 (ODI) | Wednesday, June 3 (6:30pm EST)

Humanitarian Operations During COVID-19: A Conversation with UNHCR (CSIS) | Monday, June 8 (9:30 am EST)

This development is part of the digest;