This page has a collection of guidelines, tools, statements, papers and useful links which are relevant to the current COVID-19 pandemic.
- General Information
- Humanitarian Coordination
- Forced Migration
- Civil Society space
- Communications and Community Engagement
- Inclusion and Diversity
- Funding
- Statements and commentary
- Learning resources
General Information
United Nations
- Global Humanitarian Response Plan COVID-19 July Update, 18 July 2020 (Also find the Annexes and abridged version)
- Global Humanitarian Response Plan COVID-19 May Update, 7 May, 2020. Link includes May update, Annexes and Key Facts and Figures.
- Global Humanitarian Response Plan COVID-19, 25 March, 2020. Link includes abridged versions in English, French and Arabic.
- UN Secretary General Policy Brief: COVID-19 and People on the Move, 2 June 2020
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UN Note on COVID-19 MEDEVAC for INGO partners of UN and IASC in GHRP and HRP Countries, 1 June 2020
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COVID-19 Medical Evacuation Framework 16 July 2020
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COVID-19 MEDEVAC Frequently Asked Questions (Version 2), 21 July 2020
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- UN Secretary-General’s human rights policy brief “We are all in this together” April 23, 2020
- UN Secretary-General’s statement “This is a time for science and solidarity” April 14, 2020
- UN framework for the immediate socio-economic response to COVID-19 April, 2020
- UN Secretary General Report: Shared Responsibility, Global Solidarity: responding to the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, March 2020
World Health Organisation (WHO)
- Jointly drafted by ICRC, IFRC and WHO: COVID-19 Inter-Agency Guidance for the Management of the Dead in Humanitarian Settings, 23 July, 2020
- The WHO website has a range of information, key messages, campaigns and daily virtual media briefings.
- WHO information Network for Epidemics - collection of communication and community engagement resources
- Department of Global Comms has put together a trello board to house social assets and messaging in one place: Click here.
- COVID-19 Situation Update, 13 May 2020
World Food Programme (WFP)
- FAO-WFP early warning analysis of acute food insecurity hotspots, July 2020
- COVID-19 Security Update 4 June 2020
- COVID-19 Security Update 11 June 2020
United Nations Central Emergency Responce Fund (CERF)
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CERF IOM Covid-19 NGO Allocation Q&A, 15 June 2020
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
IATA
- webpage on travel restrictions per country
- webpage on air transport and COVID-19
Johns Hopkins, LSTMH and CERAH:
- Three universities have created the COVID-19 Humanitarian platform to gather, curate, analyze, interpret and disseminate COVID-19-specific and sensitive interventions that are being implemented in a variety of humanitarian settings.
ICVA
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Open Letter to States on Universal Access to COVID-19 Vaccines - 8 February 2021
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ICVA Case study: COVID-19 response in 2020
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ICVA Briefing paper - REINFORCE, REINFORCE, REINFORCE: Localization in the COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response, 30 March 2020
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ICVA Statement - COVID- 19 NGOs critical to the delivery of principled and effective humanitarian assistance 17 March 2020
Vaccine Information
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ICVA & MSF: Country-Level Guidance Note on Messages for COVID 19 National Vaccination Strategies, 26 February 2021
Humanitarian Coordination
IASC - the Inter-Agency Standing Committee
- IASC Minimum Standards on Duty of Care in the Context of COVID-19, 27 November 2020
- IASC Key Messages on Climate Change, Humanitarian Action and COVID-19, 10 November 2020
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IASC Results Group 3 on Collective Advocacy Key Protection Advocacy Messages – COVID-19, 23 September 2020
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Statement by Principals of the IASC - Racism and Racial Discrimination in the Humanitarian Sector, 10 September 2020
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Guidance: Proposal for a harmonized approach to funding flexibility in the context of COVID-19 June 30, 2020
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Guidance on Basic Psychosocial Skills- A Guide for COVID-19 Responders, 26 May 2020
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Interim Guidance - Localisation and the COVID-19 Response May 2020
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Activation of the IASC System-Wide Scale-Up Protocols - Adapted to the Global COVID-19 Pandmic,16 April 2020
- Interim Guidance on Scaling-up COVID-19 Outbreak in Readiness and Response Operations in Camps and Camp-like Settings (jointly developed by IFRC, IOM, UNHCR and WHO)
- Interim Guidance on COVID-19: Focus on Persons Deprived of their Liberty March 2020, OHCHR and WHO
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Interim Briefing Note - Addressing Mental Health and Psychosocial Aspects of COVID-19 Outbreak (developed by the IASC’s Reference Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support)
- More information about mental health and psychosocial support in emergency settings- see IASC MHPSS Reference Group webpage
- Interim Guidance - COVID 19 Prevention and Control in Schools
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Interim Guidance - IASC Emergency Response Preparedness (ERP) Approach to the COVID-19 Pandemic
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Interim Recommendations for Adjusting Food Distribution SoPs in context of COVID 19 outbreak
- See also WFP https://fscluster.org/coronavirus
- How to include marginalized and vulnerable people in risk communication and community engagement
- Interim Guidance - Gender Alert for COVID-19 Outbreak (Developed by the IASC Reference Group for Gender in Humanitarian Action - which includes OCHA, UNHCR, IMC, NRC, UNFPA, Oxfam, WRC, UN Women, UNICEF, CARE International, WFP, HIAS, HelpAge, WHO, UNDP and Concern)
- Interim Technical Note - Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) during COVID-19 Response (developed by WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNHCR, WFP, IOM, OCHA, CHS Alliance, InterAction and the UN Victims’ Rights Advocate).
- Collective message to donors on how they can better support the pandemic response and ongoing humanitarian operations (developed by the IASC Result Group 5 on Humanitarian Financing)
Global Protection Cluster
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GPC COVID-19 Guidance for Field Operations
Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) - Webinar series CCCM in COVID-19
IMPACCT- All the documents related to the importation and Customs clearance of goods for the response to COVID-19 are available here.
Sphere Standards- Sphere collates and disseminates emerging practice and evidence in the Coronavirus response and released a four-page document guiding you through the relevant parts of the Sphere Handbook.
CHS Alliance - COVID-19 and the Core Humanitarian Standard: How to meet our CHS commitments in the coronavirus pandemic
Community World Service Asia - Webinar: Quality and Accountability approaches while responding to emergencies 9 April 2020. Looking at using Quality and Accountability approaches while responding to emergencies like COVID-19.
Forced Migration
UNHCR
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UNHCR has created a dedicated COViD-19 RefWorld page and a Covid-19 Situation webpage on Global Focus
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UNHCR stepping up coronavirus prevention measures for refugees across East, Horn and Great Lakes region of Africa, 7 April 2020
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UNHCR Global COVID-19 Emergency Response 1 April 2020
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UNHCR “Community-Based Protection Community of Practice”, which also includes some elements related to the Covid-19
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Press release The rights and health of refugees, migrants and stateless must be protected in COVID-19 response, 31 March 2020
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COVID-19 crisis: Key protection messages, 31 March 2020
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COVID-19 Response – Regional, R4V Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Platform (Venezuela)
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Age, Gender and Diversity Considerations – COVID-19, 21 March 2020
IOM
- Policy Paper on ‘Cross-border mobility amid and post COVID-19’ 23 June 2020
- Impact of COVID-19 restrictions on IDPs from 4 June 2020-11 June 2020
- Global Online Mobility Restriction Tracking database
- IOM COVID-19 Appeal updated March 2020
- Press Release: COVID-19 Does Not Discriminate; Nor Should Our Response
- IOM Scales Up Plans for COVID-19 Readiness and Response, Appeals for USD 116.1 Million, 19 March 2020
UN Network on Migration
Civil Society Action Committee- has organised a Global Statement that organisations can Sign-on to urgently call on States and government authorities at all levels to protect migrants and refugees in this global COVID-19 pandemic crisis. The statement has been translated into French and Spanish. You can also see the list of signatories.
Civil Society Space
ACAPS- Has a list of resources related to government measures
Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has gathered resources during COVID-19 to help guide in fundraising, donor communications and more, and what it means to engage with donors during a time in which in-person interaction is likely non-existent.
Centre for Civil and Political Rights (CCPR)- geo-map tool that reflects measures taken by states in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic
CIVICUS:
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collecting Resources in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic for information, resources, and support.
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launched a campaign to Protect co-workers during COVID-19: A social Security Protocol for Civil Society
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highlighted latest trends and data on Civic Freedoms and the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Snapshot of restrictions and attacks
ILO - ILO’s policy framework to fight COVID-19, provides a shared template for civil society groups to deliberate context-specific measures and adopt feasible actions in a time-bound and transparent manner.
International Centre for Not-for profit Law (ICNL):
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Has a page that presents key resources and information on how international law provides a framework to uphold human rights during crisis response.
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Established a tracker to monitor government responses to the pandemic that affect civic freedoms and human rights, focusing on emergency laws.
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Published a report that discusses how governmental responses to COVID-19, especially emergency measures, affect civic space and provides recommendations for a rights-respecting rapid response to coronavirus pandemic.
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): COVID-19: Protecting people and societies
Top10VPN: have been tracking measures taken which affect digital rights in response to the outbreak of COVID-19. The below are the key findings:
TrustLaw- repository of legal resources from their network designed to address the implications of COVID-19 for their non-profit and social enterprise members
University of Oxford- Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker (OxCGRT)- see this working paper and visit their website
Civil-Military Coordination
OCHA Regional Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination (UN-CMCoord)- Operational Guidance on the Interaction with Armed Actors in the Context of the COVID-19 Response for Asia-Pacific Region
Save the Children - Guidance Note, Civil-Military coordination COVID-19 Humanitarian Response v1.1-1
Engaging Non-State Armed Groups
Geneva Call- Bringing within reach- the importance of engaging armed non-state actors to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic April 2020
Digital and Data Privacy:
Data Protection Authority Guidance: In response to the global pandemic, data protection authorities around the world are issuing their own COVID-19-specific privacy guidance.
Frontline Defenders have a some idas and tips for human rights defenders and other actors on Physical, emotional and digital protection while using home as office in times of COVID-19 and have released a report on Defending rights during a pandemic Impact of Covid-19 on the safety and work of human rights defenders.
Just Security article Can Governments Track the Pandemic and Still Protect Privacy?
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has developed a 40-question checklist to assist governments in developing effective rights-respecting responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. You can find the HRW press release describing the checklist.
Indicators to measure State’s compliance with international standards regarding civic space, peaceful assembly, and political participation during public health emergencies, OHCHR, Special Rapporteur on rights to freedoms of peaceful assembly and of association (EN, FR, SP).
Communications and community engagement
ACAPS - COVID-19: SCENARIOS Possible global humanitarian developments over the next six months April 2020
Abestos.com - Guide to Coronavirus for Cancer patients
ALNAP- Resources on COVID-19
BBC Media Action has produced a communications grid for COVID 19. It can be used when thinking about what sort of content is needed and the different types of information that is required to address specific needs. Our top 10 tips for media in the COVID-19 ‘info-demic’
CAN DO paper entitled “Church Agencies and Local Faith Actors in COVID 19 Humanitarian Response” 30 March, 2020
Centre for Sport and Human Rights - An Overview of the Sport-Related Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children 25 June 2020
Connect: weekly digest by Internews and H2H Network on combating misinformation on Covid-19.
ELRHA- COVID-19 Resources for humanitarians (includes links to funding opportunities)
Global Health Network- https://coronavirus.tghn.org/. an open source platform that provides trusted knowledge, guidance, tools and resources to support the generation of more and better health research data.
Handicap International - Humanity & Inclusion policy brief "A principled and inclusive response to COVID-19, focused on the most vulnerable" - also available in French
Humanitarian Experts Network (HEN) - COVID-19 Humanitarian Outcome Survey Key findings
IASC- How to include marginalized and vulnerable people in risk communication and community engagement
International Civil Society Centre - COVID-19 resources for civil society
ICMHD - International Centre for Migration Health and Development- COVID 19 Notes on Community Quarantine
ICRC- Tip Sheet on the Responsible Use of Online Conferencing Tools, 3 April 2020
IFRC- New Coronavirus Risk Communication and Community Engagement Strategy Africa Version:3 March 2020
Islamic Relief Worldwide :Guidance on safe religious practice for Muslim communities during the coronavirus pandemic April 2020
(REDLAC) Regional Group on Risks, Emergencies and Disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean - Response to COVID-19: 3 months at a glance, March - June 2020 - also available in Spanish
Refugee Response has created a simple animation explaining the basic facts and safety information for COVID-19, currently available in Burmese, Karen, Nepali, Kinyarwanda, Arabic, Swahili with more languages being added.
RET Germany: Education materials in English, French and Kirundi
Translators without Borders: DO YOU SPEAK COVID-19? The importance of language for effective communication across the response, March 2020 Policy Brief,
UNICEF- Key Messages and Actions for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Schools March 2020
World Vision International (WVI) - Global Emergency Response Plan to COVID-19, April 7 2020
Engaging Private Sector
Connecting Business initiative- presentation highlighting how the network is supporting private sector and partners engaging in response to COVID-19, April 2020
Inclusion and Diversity
Older people
Help Age - Protecting older people during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic (English, Spanish, French, Arabic)
Gender and Gender Based Violence
CARE & IRC – Global Rapid Gender Analysis for COVID-19 March 2020
CARE:
- COVID-19 Advocacy Position Paper, 31 March 2020
- Gender Implications of COVID-19 Outbreaks in Development and Humanitarian Settings, 26 March 2020
Community World Service Asia - COVID-19 affects men and women differently
IASC Gender based violence (GBV)- selection of key resources on addressing gender inequality and gender-based violence in COVID-19 preparedness and emergency response
Global Protection Cluser /IASC - Identifying & Mitigating Gender-based Violence within the COVID-19 Response, 6 April 2020
Save the Children: Beyond the Shadow Pandemic: Protecting a generation of girls from gender-based violence through COVID-19 to recovery, July 17 2020
UNFPA :
- COVID-19 A Gender Lens: Protecting Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, and Promoting Gender Equality,
- Gender based violence (GBV-AoR) - resource hub
- GBV Case Management and the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Country Guidance Notes on GBV Service Provision during the time of COVID-19,
Children
Alliance for child protection in humanitarian action- Protection of Children during the COVID19 pandemic- in 11 languages.
Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) resources to support the provision of education in places affected by COVID-19. Also available in español, français, português, العربية.
Save the Children - COVID-19 resources for Children and Parents
UNICEF
- COVID-19 portal – includes latest updates, tips for parents and teachers, and how UNICEF is helping
- Quick Tip Sheet for COVID-19 and Migrant, Refugee and Internally Displaced Children
- Key Messages on Refoulement, Detention, Push-Backs and Deportations of Asylum-Seeking and Migrant Children in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic
- UNICEF also launched an Agenda for Action: Protecting the Most Vulnerable Children from the Impact of Coronavirus, which calls for global coordination to prevent this health crisis from becoming a child rights crisis
Child Protection AoR Help Desk has created a dropbox folder with collected global, regional, and country-level resources for COVID-19.
Disabilities
Handicap International - Humanity & Inclusion:
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policy brief "A principled and inclusive response to COVID-19, focused on the most vulnerable" - also available in French
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International online resource centre, SOURCE on disability and inclusion
- COVID-19 in humanitarian contexts: no excuses to leave persons with disabilities behind!
Funding and economic impact
Act Alliance- Global Act Appeal
Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has gathered resources during COVID-19 to help guide in fundraising, donor communications and more, and what it means to engage with donors during a time in which in-person interaction is likely non-existent.
NRC - Downward Spiral: the economic impact of Covid-19 on refugees and displaced people, September 2020
OCHA- Flexibility guidance: Country-Based Pooled Funds in the context of COVID-19 Pandemic. 7 April 2020
OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)
World Vision International - Out of Time: COVID-19 Aftershocks, July 2020
Statements/ Commentary
WHO and key leaders including ICVA members- Joint Leader's statement - Violence against children: A hidden crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, 8 April 2020
ICVA Statement- COVID- 19 NGOs critical to the delivery of principled and effective humanitarian assistance 17 March 2020
Act Alliance and Religions for Peace - A Joint Statement - Urgent Action Needed to Prevent COVID-19 25 March 2020
Africa Humanitarian Action (AHA) - Africa Must Include Displaced Populations in COVID-19 Response Plans, 1 April 2020
Alliance for Empowering Partnership (A4EP) - Localised response to COVID-19 global pandemic A4EP Position paper, 21 March 2020
Amnesty International- The G20 must put human rights and the public interest at the heart of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic,
Amnesty International- has released a research paper Responses to COVID-19 and States’ Human Rights Obligations: Preliminary observations 16 March 2020
Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network-
Urgent Statement: Global Response to COVID-19 should not undermine the right of Asylum 23 March 2020
Statement: Suspension Of Afghan Refugee Repatriation From Pakistan A Short-Term Solution To A Long-Term Problem, 24 March 2020
Asian Forum for Human Rights- Joint Statement: ASEAN must uphold human rights in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic 23 March 2020Asian Forum for Human Rights- Joint Statement: ASEAN must uphold human rights in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic 23 March 2020
Care international-
- Gendered Implications of COVID-19 July 2020
- New COVID-19 Global Rapid Gender Analysis Addresses Concerns of Women and Girls in Pandemic, 1 April 2020
- Gender Implications of COVID-19 in Development and Humanitarian Settings, 16 March 2020
Care Palestine West Bank/ Gaza - Alert -warns of a catastrophe of enormous magnitude with potentially disastrous consequences awaiting the two million Palestinians living in Gaza. 2 April 2020
Chatham House - COVID-19 Impact on Refugees is Also Political, 31 March 2020:
Christian Aid- Role of Faith leaders in Ebola response July 2015
Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI) - COVID-19: Food security and livelihood impact assessment, 20 July, 2020
Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CoE)- a statement of principles, 20 March 2020
Concern Worldwide - Extremely Poor People Will Go Hungry As Covid-19 Response Measures Hit
Council of Europe: Statement of principles relating to the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty in the context of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, 20 March 2020
Council on Foundations - A Call to Action: Philanthropy’s Commitment During COVID-19 Philanthropic foundations call for flexible funding for NGOs and commitment to long-term, collaborative approaches
CSIS- The Center for Strategic and International Studies Impact of COVID 19 on Humanitarian Crises, 19 March 2020
DevPolicy Blog- COVID-19, localisation and locally led development: A critical juncture 23 March 2020
Geneva Call- Bringing within reach- the importance of engaging armed non-state actors to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic April 2020
Global Detention Project - Covid-19 Global Immigration Detention Platform, April 2020
Here Geneva - After COVID a time to reset ,22 March 2020
HIAS - COVID-19 Response 1 April, 2020
Human Rights Watch - Soap: Refugees Need it Too: Basic Hygiene Not Only for Public Health But a Human Right. 7 April 2020
Human Rights Watch - Statement prepared for the High Commissioner’s virtual briefing with HRC members and observers is available here. 9 April, 2020.
Humanitarian Advisory Group- Think piece‘‘In Case of Emergency: System-Wide Response in the Era of COVID-19", March 2020
ICMC news article referring ICVA statement: “Humanitarian NGOs Call on Donors for Urgent and Systemic Response to COVID-19” 18 March 2020
ICMC Secretary General statement: “May the Coronavirus Crisis Open our Eyes and Hearts”, 18 March 2020
International Rescue Committee (IRC):
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COVID-19 in Humanitarian Crises: A Double Emergency 9 April 2020
Institute for Security Studies - COVID-19 responses in Africa must include migrants and refugees, 8 April 2020
ISPI (Istituto per gli Studi di Politica Internazionale)- Covid-19 among MENA Refugees: A Great Humanitarian Concern 7 April 2020
JIF- Letter to donors and UN - Recommendations to the UN and the donor community on strengthening the response to the COVID-19 epidemic, 3 April 2020
JONAF- From legal consultations to food packages, NGO coalition responds to needs of Kingdom’s most vulnerable 7 April 2020
The Lancet - Refugee and migrant health in the COVID-19 response, 31 March 2020
Libya INGO Forum- members commit to support the country to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and call on the authorities for equal and fair access to medical services for all people in Libya [EN/AR] 29 March 2020
New Humanitarian
- webinar ICYMI: How will COVID-19 impact crisis zones? 19 March 2020
- Coronavirus and humanitarian aid response, 19 March 2020
- Coronavirus Pandemic emergency ethics, 18 March 2020
NGO Coordination Committee for Iraq (NCCI) - Briefing note- COVID-19: The immediate and potential long-term risks to vulnerable populations in Iraq, 24 March 2020
Norwegian Refugee Council
- Jan Egeland: Humanitarian work must adapt to dangers of Covid-19. 1 April 2020
- Three ways our programmes are fighting coronavirus, 28 March 2020
- 10 things you should know about coronavirus and refugees, 16 March 2020
NPR Opinon:Refugees Are Especially Vulnerable To COVID-19. Don't Ignore Their Needs, NPR, 11 March 2020
OXFAM
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Ideas for a Pro-Poor and Pro-Women approach to COVID,13 March 2020
Palestinian Non Governmental Organisations Network (PNGO) - calls upon Donors and Supporters to act now to ensure Palestinian civil society resilience against COVID-19 pandemic, 29 March 2020
Plan International- Vulnerable groups must be supported, 17 March 2020
Refugee Council of Australia - Leaving no-one behind: Ensuring people seeking asylum and refugees are included in COVID-19 strategies updated 9 April 2020
Refugees International - COVID-19 and the Displaced: Addressing the threat of the novel coronavirus in humanitiarian Emergencies, March 2020
RSIS Commentary - Global Health Security- COVID-19 & Humanitarian Response: Leave No-One Behind, 20 March 2020
Save the Children:
- Because We Matter: Addressing COVID-19 and violence against girls in Asia-Pacific, 21 July 2020
- COVID-19: Gender Equality Matters Gender equality must be at the center of responses to COVID-19, as a lifesaving measure. April 2020
- Alarm Grows in Africa as Continent Records its 10,000th Case of COVID-19, 8 April 2020
Somalia NGO Consortium - Somalia Debt Relief crucial to COVID-19 response 27 March 2020
The Atlantic - Unseen Pandemic: Refugee camps such as those in Bangladesh are a tinderbox for the spread of the coronavirus, 2 April 2020
UNNM Statement, COVID-19 Does Not Discriminate; Nor Should Our Response, 20 March 2020
Women’s Refugee Commission - Calls for Inclusive and Gender-Sensitive Response to COVID-19 Pandemic 24 March 2020
World Refugee & Migration Council - Refugee Women: Responding to COVID-19
World Vision International - Migration and COVID-19: Venezuelan children between a rock and a hard place, 16 June 2020
Learning Resources
For all learning resources related to COVID-19, please see ICVA's Learning opportunities and resources page. COVID-19 learning opportunities will be listed under "Safeguarding".
- A list of Free courses from WHO, CDC, KonTerra and EJ4
- Stop COVID-19: Essentials for the prevention and control of the virus - English, French and Arabic - BIOFORCE, ACF France and OXFAM
- The COVID-19 Learning Pathway – Save the Children and Humanitarian Learning Academy (HLA)
- COVID-19 Training for Healthcare Workers: Preparedness and Response by Project HOPE
- COVID-19 and humanitarian settings webinar series by the READY Initiative, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the Centre for Humanitarian Health at John Hopkins University and the Centre of Education and Research in Humanitarian Action (CERAH).
- Massive Open Online Course MOOC on COVID-19: Adapting child protection case management