How to improve safe access to water during and after Covid-19

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In Nairobi’s informal settlements nearly two out of three people do not have access to adequate water at home. This creates challenges for the physical distancing measures needed to suppress the spread of Covid-19 as people have to leave home to collect water. Globally, 2.2 billion people lack access to safe water at home, complicating the fight against Covid-19 in low- and middle-income countries. Increased handwashing is not possible without access to water. Governments and…

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COVID-19 and Agricology: Echoes of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Africa

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This blog post argues that as Africans, in order to circumvent the on-going global health crisis, must begin to transform their understanding and appreciation of the role and value that their indigenous knowledge systems has played in the past and can still play in this process.   Read more

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Trust in science and in government plays a crucial role in COVID-19 response

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Control of epidemic diseases relies on public compliance with government decisions and scientific advice. What does trust have to do with it? According to Danielle Resnick, a lot: Changing the behavior of citizens depends upon it. She highlights multiple gaps in trust in different pandemic responses around the world, and outlines the factors underlying them—and offers insights into how politicians and scientists might build the trust needed in leading ongoing mitigation responses to COVID-19 and…

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COVID-19: An opportunity to reflect on approaches to and the conducting of elections in Africa

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There are more than twenty countries scheduled to hold elections in Africa in 2020. This raises complex and difficult questions such as do we encourage countries to proceed with elections at the risk of increasing the spread of COVID-19, or do we ask countries to postpone elections at the risk of creating potential unintended constitutional and/or political tensions. Generally, electoral processes are already an involved endeavor! Electoral processes include campaigns by a multitude of political…

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In this extraordinary time, routine healthcare is essential

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As global health leaders, governments, civil society and NGOs grapple to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, the voices of women and girls remain largely unheard. The Coronavirus Global Response launched by the European Commission has raised €9.8 billion to date to combat the pandemic; however, allocations explicitly for the protection and continued provision of routine services for women, adolescents and children have not materialised (the majority of funds are earmarked for vaccines development, deployment and diagnostics)….

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Coronavirus: A window of opportunity for action on migration?

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The virus, and the impacts of national responses to it, have magnified existing inequalities in access to healthcare, safety, and economic security. However, according to the UN brief, they also present the international community with an opportunity to “reimagine human mobility for the benefit of all”. Around the world, a number of local and national governments have responded to the virus by taking steps to protect the health and human rights of irregular migrants and…

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COVID-19: External Situations Report

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There is growing evidence that the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to deepen existing hunger amongst vulnerable populations. Ongoing insecurity, the lack of resources, and constrained access to food is worsening food insecurity. COVID-19 is exacerbating pre-existent regional crises (record global food insecurity & displacement, West Africa, South Africa drought, Insecurity in Middle East, Venezuela, Desert Locust) potentially leading to unprecedented levels of hunger in 2020/2021. Globally, needs-based plans have increased by 18 percent…

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An inclusive response to COVID-19 for Africa’s informal workers

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This blog post argues that for many African countries, the pandemic threatens to reverse decades of economic progress and poverty alleviation. To sustain measures that will alleviate the socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 in Africa, we need a concerted push and substantial financial support from the international community. The choice and design of interventions need to be tailored to individual countries and situations. Most importantly, they need to respond to citizen’s needs, adapt to local dynamics,…

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Policy Brief: The Impact of COVID-19 on Food Security and Nutrition

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The COVID-19 pandemic is a health and human crisis threatening the food security and nutrition of millions of people around the world. Hundreds of millions of people were already suffering from hunger and malnutrition before the virus hit and, unless immediate action is taken, we could see a global food emergency. In the longer term, the combined effects of COVID-19 itself, as well as corresponding mitigation measures and the emerging global recession could, without large-scale…

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Why working together on global migration is vital to pandemic recovery

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As we struggle with the greatest global challenge in recent history – a pandemic the UN secretary-general says has “brought us to our knees” – multilateral cooperation and human rights are of greater consequence than at any time since 1945. Nowhere will the need for multilateralism be clearer in the coming months than as it relates to migration and migrants’ rights.   Read more

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