UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Published purpose

March 2020 - In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic, the United Nations launched the Global Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP) on March 25th, 2020. The GHRP seeks to respond to the direct public health and immediate humanitarian consequences of the pandemic. The GHRP’s three strategic priorities include: (1) containing the spread of the pandemic; (2) decreasing the deterioration of human assets and rights, social cohesion and livelihoods; and (3) protecting, assisting and advocating for refugees, internally displaced people, migrants and host communities particularly vulnerable to the pandemic. With the support of GAC and other donors, the UNHCR provides assistance and protection to refugees, internally displaced persons and other persons of concern globally. Project activities include: (1) working with Ministries of Health in affected countries and the WHO, to ensure refugees and other displaced people are included in national surveillance, response planning, and activities for COVID-19; (2) establishing protection monitoring and reporting networks in collaboration with governments and partners to mitigate potential protection risks for refugees and displaced people, including restriction to access to territory and right to seek asylum; (3) increasing provision of primary and secondary health care, infection prevention in health facilities, clean water and soap, and community outreach on hygiene best practices; and (4) ensuring refugees, their host communities and persons of concern have access to timely, relevant and accurate information in applicable language(s), and counter the spread of misinformation.