Consultations with NGOs on Preparedness and Response to COVID-19 in refugee settings

At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March 2020, UNHCR established global weekly virtual consultations with NGO partners on preparedness and response to COVID-19 in refugee situations. Co-organized with ICVA, the objective of these meetings was to create a space for regular dialogue between UNHCR and NGOs on challenges and for sharing good practices on emerging responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each week, the consultations featured a specific topic and included expert speakers from UNHCR, representatives of NGOs, refugee-led organizations, faith-based organizations, academia, UN agencies and Red Cross and Red Crescent movement.

On this page, you will find:

  • The list of past meetings and an executive summary of each session.
  • Background materials and guidance documents related to the topics discussed.

Building on these exchanges, UNHCR co-organized with ICVA the 2020 Annual Consultations with NGOs , focusing on the theme “Responding to Pandemics”. The recommendations made during the Consultations contributed to the preparations of the 2020 UNHCR’s High Commissioner Dialogue on Protection Challenges focusing on “Protection Challenges in Pandemics”.

Since October, the meetings take place on a monthly basis and have a broader scope of the COVID-19 crisis.

Session 1: Business continuity and information-sharing (17 March 2020)
Session 2: Overview of Protection Concerns (25 March 2020)
Session 3: Special measures for Partnership Agreements related to COVID-19 (01 April 2020)
Session 4: Update from the High Commissioner on UNHCR’s COVID-19 response (08 April 2020)
Session 5: Communications in the context of COVID-19 (15 April 2020)
Session 6: UNHCR and WFP on Common service delivery for the benefit of all humanitarian workers in the context of COVID-19 (22 April 2020)
Session 7: Engagement with Fait-based organizations on COVID-19 (29 April 2020)
Session 8: Localisation in the COVID-19 Prevention and Response (6 May 2020)
Session 9: “Working with WHO in COVID-19 Response” (13 May 2020)
Session 10: Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) (20 May 2020)
Session 11: The Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) and the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) in the Covid-19 context (27 May 2020)
Session 12: Children and youth and the role of sport during the Covid-19 Pandemic (10 June 2020)
Session 13: UNHCR-led cluster response to COVID-19 pandemic (17 June 2020)
Session 14: Cash Assistance in the COVID-19 Response (24 June 2020)
Session 15: Addressing IDP vulnerabilities in the context of COVID-19 (1 July 2020)
Session 16: UNHCR’s implementing partner reforms (8 July 2020)
Session 17: How to address the socio-economic impact of COVID-10 by working with development partners, considering the SDGs (15 July 2020)
Session 18: Communicating and fundraising in the COVID-19 context (22 July 2020)
Session 19: Mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in displacement contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic (29 July 2020)
Session 20: Challenges and responses to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the context of COVID-19 (2 November 2020)

Session 1: Business continuity and information-sharing (17 March 2020)

Speakers for the session

  • Raouf Mazou (Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, UNHCR)
  • Robin Ellis (Deputy Director of the Division of Emergency, Security and Supply, UNHCR)
  • Sajjad Malik, (Director of the Division of Resilience and Solutions, UNHCR).

The first online meeting focused on preparedness, business continuity and response in relations to COVID-19 and targeted UNHCR Implementing and Operational Partners with expertise in WASH and Health sectors. Discussions with participants highlighted increasing challenges with provision of services to persons of concern and the need for continuity of services, inclusion of persons of concern in national plans, the need to reinforce localisation by supporting local respondents, refugee-led organisations and undertaking local and regional procurement.

Session 2: Overview of Protection Concerns (25 March 2020)

Speaker

  • Gillian Triggs (Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, UNHCR)

The second online meeting on COVID-19 with NGOs focused on Protection and featuring the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection (AHC-P) Gillian Triggs and Grainne O’Hara (Director, Department of International Protection). AHC-P highlighted key protection issues related to COVID-19 including: closure of borders and denial of entry; suspension of asylum procedures; risk of refoulement; restriction of movement; detention; impact on access to rights and critical protection services, as well as on employment, health and education services. It was also emphasized that messaging that risks fostering stigmatisation of persons of concern should be avoided and requested NGO partners’ support in raising awareness for the long-term impact of COVID-19 measures and for localising the response.

Session 3 : Special measures for Partnership Agreements related to COVID-19 (01 April 2020)

Speakers

  • Kelly Clements (Deputy High Commissioner, UNHCR)
  • Robert Hurt (Head of Implementation Management and Assurance Service, UNHCR/DSPR).

The focus of the third virtual meeting on COVID-19 with NGOs was on how partnership agreements were affected by the COVID-19 response. The speakers briefed on flexibility on resource allocation to the operations, UNHCR’s review of programme criticality, prioritisation of high-risk operations and reinforcement in Health and WASH and the longer-term trajectory of UNHCR’s transformation process.

Session 4: Update from the High Commissioner on UNHCR’s COVID-19 response (08 April 2020)

Speaker

  • Filippo Grandi (High Commissioner, UNHCR)

High Commissioner Filippo Grandi briefed on how UNHCR is scaling up and adapting interventions in support of national efforts, strengthening advocacy to address emerging complex protection concerns and to ensure the inclusion of refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs) and stateless in national response plans, in both health and socio-economic aspects. 14 CEOs and Secretaries General intervened on alignment of policy on flexibility across UNHCR operations, expanding humanitarian access and exemptions from travel restrictions, long-term funding and the future of aid, the window of opportunity to focus on prevention in high-risk operations, localization and refugee participation, avoid diversion of resource from existing needs (e.g. education).

Session 5: Communications in the context of COVID-19 (15 April 2020)

Speakers

  • Dominique Hyde (Director of the Division of External Relations, UNHCR)
  • Adrian Edwards (Head a.i., Global Communications Service)

Overview: The 5th virtual consultations focused on resource mobilization and communications in the COVID-19 context and featured Ms. Dominique Hyde, Director of DER and Mr Adrian Edwards, Head of Global Communications Service. The consultation was attended by more than 80 participants from NGOs (incl. FBO and RLO) and UNHCR Divisions (DER, DRS, DESS, DSPR) and provided a platform do discuss how funding is impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and explore possibilities of collaborative advocacy to amplify key messages in the response. Several NGOs expressed their appreciation for these consultations and the possibility for regular engagement around critical issues in this unprecedented situation.

Session 6: UNHCR and WFP on Common service delivery for the benefit of all humanitarian workers in the context of COVID-19 (22 April 2020)

Speakers

  • Valerie Guarnieri (Assistant Executive Director, WFP)
  • Dominique Hyde (Director of External Relations, UNHCR)

This session focused on common service delivery for the benefit of all humanitarian workers in the context of COVID-19It also served as a testament of the strong partnership between UNHCR and WFP, demonstrating aligned COVID-19 responses, including to stay and deliver, flexibility in partnership agreement, inclusive approach to form collective response with NGOs and the greater humanitarian family to address challenges imposed by the pandemic. The consultations, attended by more than 80 participants, also provided an opportunity to discuss how the common service delivery mechanisms would benefit the broader humanitarian community,

Session 7: Engagement with Fait-based organizations on COVID-19 (29 April 2020)

Speakers

  • Gillian Triggs (Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, UNHCR)
  • Arafat Jamal (Head, Partnership and Coordination Service, UNHCR/DER)

Assistant High-Commissioner Gillian Triggs briefed on key protection challenges linked to the pandemic and how a multi-stake holder approach as outlined in the Global Compact on Refugees is more needed than ever. Mr Arafat Jamal moderated a discussion on how UNHCR can strengthen its work with faith-based organisations (FBOs) in the COVID-19 response, recognizing the unique role FBOs play as trusted interlocutors in advocacy, communicating with communities, governments, providing assistance, responding to rising discrimination and xenophobia The meeting also provided an opportunity for follow-up discussions on the call the High Commissioner Filippo Grandi had the previous week with CEOs from a selected number of FBOs with a wider range of faith-based actors.

Session 8: Localisation in the COVID-19 Prevention and Response (6 May 2020)

Speakers

  • Jeremy Wellard (Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, ICVA)
  • Shaza Alrihawi (Founder and interim Chair of the Global Refugee-led Network)
  • David Fisher (Manager, Policy and Diplomacy Unit, IFRC).

The session shed light on remarkable refugee initiatives as well as obstacles to and opportunities of localisation in the COVID-19 response. Community engagement and risk communication, local leadership, coordination, , funding and risk-sharing, advocacy, culture of mutual respect and innovative practices, e were highlighted by the speaker as key areas on the localisation agenda. The session also provided an opportunity to provide an update on inter-agency development on localization including the interim guidance on localization IASC has issued covering flexibility and financing arrangements.

Session 9: “Working with WHO in COVID-19 Response” (13 May 2020)

Speakers

  • Kelly Clements (Deputy High Commissioner, UNHCR)
  • Dr. Michael Ryan (Executive Director, Health Emergencies Programme, WHO)
  • Dr. Ibrahima Socé Fall, (Assistant Director-General, Emergency Programme, WHO)

The 9th virtual consultations featured Dr. Michael Ryan, Executive Director, Health Emergencies Programme (WHO), and Dr. Ibrahima Socé Fall, Assistant Director-General, Emergency Response (WHO) in a conversation with Ms. Kelly T. Clements, Deputy High Commissioner. Moderated by Arafat Jamal, Head of Partnerships and Coordination Service, the consultations offered a platform for 150 participants to discuss a wide range of topics, including future directions of the virus and our responses, gender and disability sensitivity, duty of care, coordination and civil society engagement in the COVID-19 response. The senior WHO colleagues shared concerns of the risks of uncontrolled transmission in crowded refugee sites, urban refugee hosting areas and forced displacement settlements, and called for an emphasis prevention, detection, and control methods to impact the transmission and control the earliest cases and adapative strategies. They also noted that the COVID-19 crisis exposes the inequities in society, with refugees amongst the most vulnerable, stressing the need for inclusion as ‘if you leave people behind, it will come back and bite because nobody’s safe until everyone is safe’. NGO participation was high, engaged and involved a large number of medical focused NGOs that do not usually participate in the UNHCR consultations.

Session 10: Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) (20 May 2020)

Speakers

  • Theodora Suter (Head of the Gender Coordination Unit, IOM)
  • Sana Zulfiqar, Coordinator of the National Humanitarian Network Pakistan)
  • Josephine Ngebeh (Senior Regional Protection Officer, Bureau of East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes, UNHCR),
  • Diane Goodman (Senior Coordinator on Prevention and Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment, UNHCR)

The consultation offered a platform to discuss PSEA within the context of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Speakers shared their observations around the challenges brought about by the pandemic and how they needed to adapt their working methods to the new reality, mentioning the new ways to maintain trust, and the increased use of remote channels (safe and adjusted), increased engagement with community and local actors, virtually launched tools and initiatives that have created more opportunities to dialogue with practitioners. Recent initiatives, including the IASC PSEA Learning Package, , the High Commissioner’s championship on PSEA and the UN SEA tracker were also discussed

Session 11: The Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) and the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) in the Covid-19 context (27 May 2020)

Speakers

  • Gillian Triggs (Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, UNHCR)
  • Perveen Ali (Head of Global Refugee Forum Coordination Team, UNHCR)
  • Yonatan Araya (Senior Policy Adviser—GCR, Regional Bureau for Eastern Horn and Great Lakes, UNHCR)
  • Leslie E. Velez (Head (a.i.) External Engagement, UNHCR Uganda).

Assistant High Commissioner for Protection Ms Gillian Triggs briefed on how GCR core principles such as responsibility-sharing, international solidarity and commitments to inclusion are vital in the response to the pandemic and current priority is on implementation, transforming pledges into concrete solutions, and assistance for UNHCR’s persons of concern in the COVID-19 response. Ms Perveen Ali presented the recently issued paper on the role of the GCR in the international response to the COVID-19 pandemic and shared a 4-point roadmap of GRF follow-up (analysis, implementation, tracking, and future planning).

Speakers also shared regional and national perspectives on how the further use the GCR model in the COVID response and noted that the current situation provides an opportunity to identify and prioritize pledges for inclusive response, e.g. health, social protection. The well attended session also provided an opportunity to discuss impact and prioritization of GRF pledges, responsibility-sharing beyond financial aspects and the Asylum Capacity Support Group.

Prior to this briefing, Ms. Leigh Foster, Chief of Section, Public outreach and Campaigns, updated on plans for World Refugee Day (WRD).

Session 12: Children and youth and the role of sport during the Covid-19 Pandemic (10 June 2020)

Speakers

  • Ignacio Packer (Executive Director, ICVA)
  • Raouf Mazou (Assistant High-Commissioner for Operations, UNHCR)
  • Amanda Melville (Senior Advisor Children and Youth, UNHCR)
  • Jojo Ferris, (Head, Olympic Refuge Foundation)
  • Joshua Opolot (Executive Director, Youth Sport Uganda)
  • Maria Bray (Global Advisor on Child Protection and MHPSS, Terre des hommes)
  • Lea Hinnen (Project Manager, Football Club Social Alliance/ Scort Foundation)

The session offered a platform for participants to discuss the situation for displaced and stateless children and youth and the role of sport and sports organisations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discussions highlighted the importance of work on sports for children and youth in our populations of concern, especially during these challenging times, and how it must remain an essential activity in the wider response. Key protection risks for young people during COVID-19 were also outlined, highlighting how missing sports and recreation activities has a negative impact and reinforcing the points around localisation and the gender dimension of engaging young people in sport activities. Partner organisations also shared examples on how programmes are being adapted to take in to account social distancing and introducing new practices such as distribution of recreational kits, remote counselling and video live-streaming of activities.

Session 13: UNHCR-led cluster response to COVID-19 pandemic (17 June 2020)

Speakers

  • Daniela Raiman (Global CCCM Cluster Coordinator, UNHCR)
  • William Chemaly (Global Protection Cluster Coordinator, UNHCR)
  • Brett Moore (Global Shelter Cluster Coordinator, UNHCR)
  • Lilu Thapa (Iraq Country Director, Danish Refugee Council)

This session focused on priorities and challenges in UNHCR-led cluster response to COVID-19 pandemic, and featured speakers from the Global Protection Cluster, Global Shelter Cluster and the Camp and the Global Camp Coordination and Camp Management Cluster as well as a country Director from the Danish Refugee Council. A new trend of greater partnership among clusters has been emerging in the COVID-19 response: there is a call for collaboration beyond humanitarian sector, i.e. working with development and peace nexus in response to the pandemic. Cluster leads shared the view that localisation is more relevant than ever as affected communities themselves constitute the centrepiece of the response. It was also noted that new local protection community was emerging with faith actors, community leaders and local actors.

Session 14: Cash Assistance in the COVID-19 Response (24 June 2020)

Speakers

  • Caroline Holt (Global Cash Lead, IFRC)
  • Alexandre Gachoud (Cash and Markets Expert, ICRC)
  • Roger Dean (Global Programme Development Manager – Cash and Markets, NRC)
  • Kate Washington (Senior Inter-Agency Coordinator, UNHCR Greece)

This session focused on the role of cash Assistance in the COVID-19 Response, and featured four experienced cash experts from ICRC, IFRC, NRC and UNHCR. Ms e Marian Schilperoord, Deputy Director, Division of Resilience and Solutions, UNHCR, who opened the session, highlighted that cash-based Intervention serves the purpose of mainstreaming protection priorities via multi-purpose cash channels and underlined the essential role of partnership in cash assistance and called for collaborative action to scale up cash assistance. kers shared reflections around lessons learned on cash assistance in the COVID-19 response and provided examples of innovative and effective approaches for cash assistance that had been adapted to the new situation. Discussions also looked into market assessment and remote monitoring, SGBV and cash assistance and inclusion of PoCs in national social protection policies.

Session 15: Addressing IDP vulnerabilities in the context of COVID-19 (1 July 2020)

Speakers

  • Sumbul Rizvi (Principal Advisor on Internal Displacement, UNHCR)
  • George Okoth-Obbo (ASG, Head of Secretariat of the UN High Level-Panel on Internal Displacement)

The consultation offered a platform to discuss internal displacement in the COVID-19 context focusing on the role of the UN High Level-Panel on Internal Displacement (HLP) and UNHCR’s engagement with IDPs in the COVID-19 response. Assistant Secretary General G Okoth-Obbo updated NGOs on the work of the High Level Panel, i covering data and evidence, accountability to IDPs and the short- and long-term implications of COVID-19 on internal displacement. Ms. Rizvi briefed NGOs on the impact of COVID-19 on IDPs as analysed by UNHCR, and shared updates on UNHCR’s IDP response as well as the IDP Initiative.

Session 16: UNHCR’s implementing partner reforms (8 July 2020)

Speakers

  • Kelly Clements (Deputy High Commissioner, UNHCR)
  • Ashley Augsburger (Program Manager, Humanitarian Policy, InterAction)
  • Robert Hurt (Head of Implementation Management and Assurance Service, UNHCR/DSPR).

The Consultation focused on an update on UNHCR’s reforms of implementing partnerships. Ms Kelly T. Clements, Deputy High Commissioner (DHC), opened the session by providing the background on the reform, its relationship with the Grand Bargain and the Global Humanitarian Response Plan on COVID-19. Ms Ashley Augsberger from , InterAction, presented the key findings of the annual joint InterAction/UNHCR survey on the UNHCR’s partnerships agreements, which has been conducted in 2019 with 105 staff from UNHCR and 550 NGOs. This was followed by a briefing by Mr. Robert Hurt on the actual reform of the framework on implementing with partners, noting that response had provided an opportunity to implement some flexibility measures that are consistent with overall reforms. 

Session 17: How to address the socio-economic impact of COVID-10 by working with development partners, considering the SDGs (15 July 2020)

Speakers

  • Sajjad Malik, (Director of the Division of Resilience and Solutions, UNHCR)
  • Ms. Melissa Johns, Senior Operations Officer, Fragility, Conflict and Violence Group (World Bank)
  • Ms. Marta Valdes García, IASC Co-Chair of Results Group 4 on Humanitarian-Development Collaboration and Deputy Humanitarian Director, Global Humanitarian Team (Oxfam)
  • Ms. Daphne Jayasinghe, Head of Policy (IRC Europe)

This session focused on the links between humanitarian and development partners. Mr. Sajjad Malik gave an overview of UNHCR’s response to the socio-economic impact of the pandemic and partnership with other actors, emphasizing that refugees and other persons of concern should not be left out of recovery programs. Speakers from the World Bank, IRC and IASC Results Group 4 on Humanitarian Development Collaboration presented their response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Resources:

Session 18: Communicating and fundraising in the COVID-19 context (22 July 2020)

Speakers

  • Ms. Dominique Hyde, (Director, Division of External Relations, UNHCR)
  • Ms. Cecile Pouilly (Senior Communications Advisor, UNHCR)
  • Ms. Carlotta Wolf, (Associate PSP Officer (Emergencies), UNHCR)
  • Ms. Susanne Van Meegen, (Global Advocacy and Media Adviser, Norwegian Refugee Council)

The consultation provided a platform discuss communications and fundraising trends, the need to constantly adjust to the fluid COVID-19 context and how to avoid and address reputational risks that are resulting from or have been further exacerbated by the pandemic.

Session 19: Mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in displacement contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic (29 July 2020)

Speakers

  • Mr. Peter Ventevogel (Senior Mental Health Officer, UNHCR)
  • Mr. Fahmy Hanna (Technical Officer, WHO, Co-chair of the IASC Reference Group for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergencies)
  • Ms. Claire Whitney (Senior Global Mental Health & Psychosocial Support Advisor, International Medical Corps in Lebanon)
  • Ms. Grace Obalim (MHPSS Supervisor, local NGO TPO Uganda)

The consultation provided a platform to discuss the effects of COVID-19 on mental health, COVID-19 MHPSS coordination, adaptation of MHPSS programming and best practices in the field.

Session 20: Challenges and responses to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the context of COVID-19 (2 November 2020)

Speakers

  • Ms. Grainne Ohara, Director of the Division of International Protection (UNHCR)
  • Ms. June Munala, Senior Advisor on SGBV (UNHCR Kenya)
  • Ms. Manisha Thomas, Geneva Representative (Women’s Refugee Commission)
  • Ms. Hamida Jahamah, Technical Team Lead & Senior Child Protection Specialist (Plan International Jordan)

The consultation focused on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the response to SGBV. Panelists shared examples of responses within the COVID-19 context in Zimbabwe, and results of a rapid assessment conducted in Jordan. The impact on women and girls with disabilities, who were already up to ten times more likely to experience SGBV before the pandemic, was also highlighted.

Resources: