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 2020, 39.4 million persons of concern received COVID-19 assistance including access to protection services, shelter, health, and education. This includes over 8.5 million individuals who received cash assistance. | |
17 Feb 2021 | |
UNHCR and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 03 February 2020, with the overall goal of ensuring refugees and other forcibly displaced can access vaccines on par with nationals. The MoU also looks at expanding coverage and quality of immunization services, promoting equity in access and uptake of vaccines, and strengthening health systems at community and primary care level. | |
03 Feb 2021 | |
Despite an estimated 1.44 million refugees in urgent need of resettlement globally, less than 23,000 were resettled through UNHCR last year. These are the lowest refugee resettlement numbers UNHCR has witnessed in almost two decades. The drop stems from low quotas put forward by states, as well as the impact of COVID-19, which delayed departures and programmes. | |
25 Jan 2021 |
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COVID-19: Global COVID-19 Emergency Response Situation Report #29 |
Latest update on UNHCR’s response to the COVID-19 emergency | |
UNHCR Southern Africa COVID-19 Update | |
As of 30 June 2021 | |
UNHCR Asia and the Pacific COVID-19 Update | |
As of 9 November 2021 | |
UNHCR East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes COVID-19 Update | |
As of 30 June 2021 | |
UNHCR Europe Regional COVID-19 Update | |
As of 31 October 2021 | |
UNHCR MENA Regional COVID-19 Update | |
As of 31 October 2021 | |
UNHCR West & Central Africa COVID-19 Update | |
As of 11 December 2020 | |
UNHCR Americas COVID-19 Update | |
As of 1 November 2021 |
- All Documents (113)
- Camp Coordination and Management (2)
- Cash Assistance (2)
- Child Protection (1)
- Education (3)
- Food Security (12)
- Gender Based Violence (3)
- Health (29)
- Livelihood & Social Stability (9)
- Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (23)
- Other (4)
- Protection (45)
- Water Sanitation Hygiene (2)
- Not categorized (14)
- All Documents (113)
- Camp Coordination and Management (2)
- Cash Assistance (2)
- Child Protection (1)
- Education (3)
- Food Security (12)
- Gender Based Violence (3)
- Health (29)
- Livelihood & Social Stability (9)
- Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (23)
- Other (4)
- Protection (45)
- Water Sanitation Hygiene (2)
- Not categorized (14)
Protecting Forcibly Displaced Women and Girls during the COVID-19 Pandemic
DocumentCreate date: 6 March 2021 (2 years ago)
UNHCR’S Approach to Evaluating the COVID-19 Response for Refugees and other Persons of Concern
DocumentCreate date: 6 March 2021 (2 years ago)
Covid-19 Refugees’ Return To Schooling Guidelines
DocumentCreate date: 17 February 2021 (2 years ago)
UNHCR COVID-19 Supplementary Appeal 2021
DocumentCreate date: 22 December 2020 (3 years ago)
World Bank - UNHCR MENA Study: COVID-19 Compounding Misfortunes
DocumentCreate date: 22 December 2020 (3 years ago)
Aftershock: Abuse, exploitation & human trafficking in the wake of Covid-19
DocumentCreate date: 1 December 2020 (3 years ago)
IASC Minimum Standards on Duty of Care in the Context of COVID-19
DocumentCreate date: 1 December 2020 (3 years ago)
Preparedness, prevention and control of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) for refugees and migrants in non-camp settings
DocumentCreate date: 28 April 2020 (3 years ago)
IASC Interim Guidance on COVID-19 for Outbreak Readiness and Response Operations - Camps and Camp-like Settings
DocumentCreate date: 23 March 2020 (3 years ago)
UNHCR Cash Assistance and COVID-19: Main Findings from Post-Distribution Monitoring (PDM)
DocumentCreate date: 7 October 2020 (3 years ago)
UNHCR Cash Assistance and COVID-19: Emerging Field Practices
DocumentCreate date: 17 April 2020 (3 years ago)
Protecting Forcibly Displaced Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic
DocumentCreate date: 7 August 2020 (3 years ago)
Covid-19 Refugees’ Return To Schooling Guidelines
DocumentCreate date: 17 February 2021 (2 years ago)
Coming Together for Refugee Education
DocumentCreate date: 21 September 2020 (3 years ago)
Supporting continued access to education during COVID-19: Emerging Promising Practices - Issue 2
DocumentCreate date: 13 July 2020 (3 years ago)
Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion - Emerging practices to address the Covid pandemic
DocumentCreate date: 8 October 2020 (3 years ago)
COVID-19: Emerging Practices. Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion
DocumentCreate date: 8 June 2020 (3 years ago)
Financial Inclusion Short Guidance on COVID-19 Response
DocumentCreate date: 24 April 2020 (3 years ago)
Livelihoods Short Guidance on COVID-19Response
DocumentCreate date: 24 April 2020 (3 years ago)
Surviving Disasters and Supporting Recovery: A Guidebook for Microfinance Institutions
DocumentCreate date: 24 April 2020 (3 years ago)
Savings Group Risk Mitigation, Support, and Engagement in Relation to COVID-19
DocumentCreate date: 24 April 2020 (3 years ago)
MERS Guidance in Response to COVID-19
DocumentCreate date: 24 April 2020 (3 years ago)
Policy Brief: The Impact of COVID-19 on Women
DocumentCreate date: 20 May 2020 (3 years ago)
COVID-19: Case Management, GBVIMS/GBVIMS+ and the COVID-19 pandemic
DocumentCreate date: 11 April 2020 (3 years ago)
COVID-19: Gender-based violence prevention, risk mitigation and response during COVID-19
DocumentCreate date: 8 April 2020 (3 years ago)
COVID-19 Inter-Agency Guidance for the Management of the Dead in Humanitarian Settings
DocumentCreate date: 28 July 2020 (3 years ago)
IASC Guidance on Operational Considerations for Multisectoral Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Programmes during the COVID-19 Pandemic
DocumentCreate date: 1 July 2020 (3 years ago)
IASC Guidance on Basic Psychosocial Skills - A Guide for COVID-19 Responders
DocumentCreate date: 1 July 2020 (3 years ago)
UNHCR MENA - Mental Health and Psychosocial Response during COVID-19 Outbreak
DocumentCreate date: 16 June 2020 (3 years ago)
UNHCR’s Emerging Practices on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support
DocumentCreate date: 15 June 2020 (3 years ago)
Advice on the use of masks in the context of COVID-19
DocumentCreate date: 28 June 2020 (3 years ago)
Guidance note on the Importation and Customs clearance of Medicines and Medical Equipment in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic (COV...
DocumentCreate date: 17 April 2020 (3 years ago)
Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion - Emerging practices to address the Covid pandemic
DocumentCreate date: 8 October 2020 (3 years ago)
COVID-19: Emerging Practices. Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion
DocumentCreate date: 8 June 2020 (3 years ago)
Financial Inclusion Short Guidance on COVID-19 Response
DocumentCreate date: 24 April 2020 (3 years ago)
Livelihoods Short Guidance on COVID-19Response
DocumentCreate date: 24 April 2020 (3 years ago)
Surviving Disasters and Supporting Recovery: A Guidebook for Microfinance Institutions
DocumentCreate date: 24 April 2020 (3 years ago)
Savings Group Risk Mitigation, Support, and Engagement in Relation to COVID-19
DocumentCreate date: 24 April 2020 (3 years ago)
MERS Guidance in Response to COVID-19
DocumentCreate date: 24 April 2020 (3 years ago)
IASC Guidance on Operational Considerations for Multisectoral Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Programmes during the COVID-19 Pandemic
DocumentCreate date: 1 July 2020 (3 years ago)
IASC Guidance on Basic Psychosocial Skills - A Guide for COVID-19 Responders
DocumentCreate date: 1 July 2020 (3 years ago)
UNHCR MENA - Mental Health and Psychosocial Response during COVID-19 Outbreak
DocumentCreate date: 16 June 2020 (3 years ago)
UNHCR’s Emerging Practices on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support
DocumentCreate date: 15 June 2020 (3 years ago)
IASC Interim Briefing Note on COVID-19 Outbreak Readiness and Response Operations - MHPSS
DocumentCreate date: 23 March 2020 (3 years ago)
IASC Interim Briefing Note: Addressing Mental Health and Psychosocial Aspects of COVID-19 Outbreak (French)
DocumentCreate date: 17 April 2020 (3 years ago)
IASC Interim Briefing Note: Addressing Mental Health and Psychosocial Aspects of COVID-19 Outbreak (Ukrainian)
DocumentCreate date: 17 April 2020 (3 years ago)
IASC Interim Guidance on Localisation and the COVID-19 Response
DocumentCreate date: 28 May 2020 (3 years ago)
How COVID-19 is changing the world: a statistical perspective
DocumentCreate date: 15 May 2020 (3 years ago)
Overview of the Global Information Management, Assessment & Analysis Cell on COVID-19 (GIMAC)
DocumentCreate date: 26 May 2020 (3 years ago)
Issue-Based Coalition (Europe and Central Asia): Key Messages and Advocacy Points on the COVID-19 outbreak.
DocumentCreate date: 20 May 2020 (3 years ago)
Protecting Forcibly Displaced Women and Girls during the COVID-19 Pandemic
DocumentCreate date: 6 March 2021 (2 years ago)
Aftershock: Abuse, exploitation & human trafficking in the wake of Covid-19
DocumentCreate date: 1 December 2020 (3 years ago)
Protecting Forcibly Displaced Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic
DocumentCreate date: 7 August 2020 (3 years ago)
The role of the Global Compact on Refugees in the international response to the COVID-19 pandemic
DocumentCreate date: 15 May 2020 (3 years ago)
Protecting Forcibly Displaced Women and Girls during the COVID-19 Pandemic
DocumentCreate date: 17 July 2020 (3 years ago)
IASC Key Messages on Applying IASC Guidelines on Disability in the COVID-19 Response
DocumentCreate date: 13 July 2020 (3 years ago)
Global Protection Cluster COVID-19 Situation Report
DocumentCreate date: 7 July 2020 (3 years ago)
UNHCR COVID-19 Update - Wash, Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools
DocumentCreate date: 13 November 2020 (3 years ago)
Emerging Practices: WASH and COVID-19 field practices
DocumentCreate date: 13 July 2020 (3 years ago)
UNHCR’S Approach to Evaluating the COVID-19 Response for Refugees and other Persons of Concern
DocumentCreate date: 6 March 2021 (2 years ago)
UNHCR COVID-19 Supplementary Appeal 2021
DocumentCreate date: 22 December 2020 (3 years ago)
World Bank - UNHCR MENA Study: COVID-19 Compounding Misfortunes
DocumentCreate date: 22 December 2020 (3 years ago)
IASC Minimum Standards on Duty of Care in the Context of COVID-19
DocumentCreate date: 1 December 2020 (3 years ago)
IASC Key Messages on Climate Change, Humanitarian Action and COVID-19
DocumentCreate date: 17 November 2020 (3 years ago)
Report on UNHCR’s response to COVID-19
DocumentCreate date: 5 October 2020 (3 years ago)
The IDP-Initiative - Quarterly Update September 2020
DocumentCreate date: 26 September 2020 (3 years ago)
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COVID-related UNHCR Press Releases
The latest releases from UNHCR and our partners on the COVID-19 response
Date of Funding Data | 7 September 2021 (2 years ago) |
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More information on UNHCR’s appeals and financial requirements
Visit the UNHCR Global Focus Website
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Global Humanitarian Response Plan Covid-19
Final Progress Report, February 2021Publish date: 22 February 2021
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UNHCR COVID-19 Supplementary Appeal 2021
On 18 December, UNHCR released its COVID-19 Supplementary Appeal for 2021, asking for an additional USD 455 million for COVID-19 related activities.Publish date: 18 December 2020
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 |
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Protecting Forcibly Displaced Women and Girls during the COVID-19 Pandemic
This document provides examples of UNHCR gender responsive and gender-based violence (GBV) prevention, risk mitigation and response interventions.Publish date: 16 July 2020
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Key Legal Considerations on access to territory for persons in need of international protection in the context of the COVID-19 response
Developed by UNHCRPublish date: 16 March 2020
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COVID-19: Gender-based violence prevention, risk mitigation and response during COVID-19
Developed by UNHCRPublish date: 26 March 2020
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COVID-19: Guidance on Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE)
Developed by UNHCRPublish date: 21 March 2020