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The impact of closing borders around the world

Global Overview

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.

  Highlights
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
  Global and Regional Updates

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Livelihoods, food and futures: COVID-19 and the displaced



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COVID-19 Temporary Measures and Impact on Protection

UNHCR has launched the Global Protection Platform which portrays visually the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on aspects of the protection environment for the world’s forcibly displaced.

Financial requirements (2021)
$924,000,000
Total appeal
Date of Funding Data 7 September 2021 (2 years ago)
  Links
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