This document outlines the ‘light’ and ‘adapted’ scale-up protocols to be activated for IASC response to the COVID-19 emergency. It describes the collective approach and principles of action to guide the system-wide response. This activation may be updated to ensure it retains currency in view of the exceptional and rapidly evolving situation.
This year, a record 95% Signatories reported by the deadline for 2019 (59 out of 62 Signatories), which importantly demonstrates your commitment and engagement. The analysis of the findings from the self-reports will be published in the Annual Independent Report. In the meantime, please find the links to the self-reports here.
5 Apr 2020
Watch the video here
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing untold human suffering and economic devastation around the world.
I recently called for an immediate global ceasefire to focus on our shared struggle to overcome the pandemic.
I appealed for an end to violence everywhere, now.
But violence is not confined to the battlefield.
António Guterres (UN Secretary-General) video message on COVID-19 and misinformation
As the world fights the deadly COVID-19 pandemic – the most challenging crisis we have faced since the Second World War – we are also seeing another epidemic -- a dangerous epidemic of misinformation.
Around the world, people are scared. They want to know what to do and where to turn for advice. This is a time for science and solidarity.
Yet the global ‘misinfo-demic’ is spreading.
Harmful health advice and snake-oil solutions are proliferating.
A new storybook that aims to help children understand and come to terms with COVID-19 has been produced by a collaboration of more than 50 organizations working in the humanitarian sector, including the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Save the Children.
On 8 April 2020 the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, released the following statement on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19):
The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most dangerous challenges this world has faced in our lifetime. It is above all a human crisis with severe health and socio-economic consequences.
This document reflects recommendations made by IASC Results Group 5 on Humanitarian Financing (co-chaired by OCHA and ICVA), with inputs from the IASC Emergency Directors Group (EDG), for collective messages to donors on how they can better support the pandemic response and ongoing humanitarian operations, especially in terms of flexible funding. These key messages reflect IASC commitments and are aligned with Grand Bargain principles aimed at putting assistance into the hands of people in need and to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian action.
Grand Bargain transparency workstream co-convenors, the World Bank Group and the Government of the Netherlands have today launched the new IATI Humanitarian Data Portal to support greater transparency of humanitarian assistance. The portal enables users to explore the humanitarian assistance provided by some of the world’s largest donors and humanitarian organisations.
As part of its Grand Bargain commitment and approach to ensure people and communities affected by crises influence humanitarian responses, IFRC has been championing its real-time community feedback mechanism during the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They gathered more than half a million individual insights (ranging from feedback, rumours, concerns and misconceptions) from affected people in less than two years – and acted upon them.
