With COVID-19 now present in every country worldwide, the world’s 79.5 million refugees and forcibly displaced people are among the most exposed and vulnerable. For people who fled wars and persecution, the impact on their mostly hand-to-mouth existence and on their hosts has been devastating.
While no major outbreaks in refugee and internally displaced camps and settlements have so far been reported, UNHCR is rapidly responding in 134 refugee-hosting countries that are reporting local transmission. Our teams around the world are preparing fast and bracing for the worst.
In order to do this, UNHCR has called for an extra $745 million as part of the UN’s revised $10.3bn appeal for COVID-19.
This will help UNHCR to further strengthen national health and sanitation systems, provide vital protection services and ramp up cash assistance for the most vulnerable.
Together with our partners, UNHCR is determined to stay the course and deliver for refugees, internally displaced, stateless people, and their hosts, and ensure their inclusion in public health responses and social safety nets.
Additional guidance documents are available in the left hand menu while country specific details on their operational pages.
For any inquiries, please contact the UNHCR Partnership Section, hqng00 @ unhcr.org.
In a press release on the eve of the donor conference for Rohingya refugees, UNHCR called for solidarity, support and solutions for this stateless and displaced population as the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has added layers of new challenges and needs to an already complex and massive refugee emergency. | |
20 Oct 2020 | |
After a seven-month suspension due to COVID-19, UNHCR's life-saving flights from Libya have resumed. A group of 153 vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers have been evacuated from Libya to the Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM) in Niger. | |
16 Oct 2020 | |
In a key annual address to UNHCR’s annual Executive Committee meeting in Geneva, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Gillian Triggs, warned that COVID-19 is severely testing refugee protection. | |
06 Oct 2020 |
COVID-19: Global COVID-19 Emergency Response Situation Report #20 |
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Latest update on UNHCR’s response to the COVID-19 emergency | |
UNHCR Southern Africa COVID-19 Update | |
As of 15 October 2020 | |
UNHCR Asia and the Pacific COVID-19 Update | |
As of 28 October 2020 | |
UNHCR East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes COVID-19 Update | |
As of 14 October 2020 | |
UNHCR Europe Regional COVID-19 Update | |
As of 13 October 2020 | |
UNHCR MENA Regional COVID-19 Update | |
As of 19 August 2020 | |
UNHCR West & Central Africa COVID-19 Update | |
As of 15 October 2020 | |
UNHCR Americas COVID-19 Update | |
As of 16 October 2020 |
Date of Funding Data | 14 October 2020 (29 days ago) |
A) Global Compact on Refugees | |
Pledges and good practices related to health care, water, sanitation and hygiene | |
B) Global Focus - COVID-19 situation | |
UNHCR's Information Hub with updates for donors and supporters | |
C) IASC COVID-19 Outbreak Readiness and Response | |
IASC guidance and updates | |
D) Protection - CBP Community of Practice (Global) | |
Community of Practices for Community-based protection and engagement | |
E) Protection - CBP Tools West Africa | |
Communications with Communities tools and Practices | |
F) Education in COVID-19 | |
Resources and tools for learning | |
G) WASH | |
Guidance and resources on WASH activities | |
I) CCCM Cluster on COVID-19 | |
Cluster guidance for field operations | |
J) Shelter Cluster on COVID-19 | |
Cluster guidance for field operations | |
K) Global Information Management, Assessment & Analysis Cell on COVID-19 (GIMAC) | |
Humanitarian multi-stakeholder initiative by several UN organizations and international NGO partners |