How a climate-smart COVID-19 recovery could lead to a more resilient Africa

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The author of this article argues that Africa’s response to the COVID-19 crisis should, and could, be used as an opportunity to build resilience to future economic shocks. This cannot be achieved by continuing to rely on fossil fuel markets. Historically low (or even negative) oil prices show that further investment will only lock countries into economies vulnerable to volatile fuel costs. Alarm bells are likely to ring for a while in Angola, Nigeria, Algeria…

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COVID-19 and Violence against Women and Children: A Third Research Round Up for the 16 Days of Activism

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This year, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence comes at a time when there is un-precedented global attention on violence against women and children (VAW/C). The theme of “Fund, Respond, Prevent and Collect!” puts a focus on the need for increased financing to support survivors and prevent future violence, as well as the importance of data collection, rigorous analysis and research to guide effective financing and policy decision making. Seeking to prevent a…

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Coronavirus as a Catalyst for Global Civil Society

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The coronavirus pandemic has placed acute stress and high expectations on governments around the world. Much has been written on a return to big government. The focus on government responses is understandable, as citizens have looked to authorities for effective responses—and often, these responses have made the difference between life and death. Yet, the pandemic has had a profound impact not only on government policies but also on societies. The crisis has played out at…

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COVID-19, the Environment, and Food Systems: Contain, Cope and Rebuild Better

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Key messages: Governments around the world have invested about $12 trillion to counteract the economic effects of COVID-19. This investment could contribute to progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)and global climate targets if invested within a framework that supports both socioeconomic recovery and sustainability. Expenditures must be monitored to deliver multiple benefits simultaneously and guide rebuilding better. COVID-19 increases poverty and limits access to food. The right to food is a basic human right…

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Children with disabilities: Ensuring their Inclusion in COVID-19 Response Strategies and Evidence Generation

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How are children with disabilities faring during the covid-19 pandemic? What added challenges are children with disabilities facing in the current crisis? Are children with disabilities accessing online learning? How are families of children with disabilities coping with the socioeconomic fallout? Several months into the COVID-19 crisis, the questions above remain largely unanswered. However, evidence is beginning to emerge that points to increased risks for children with disabilities as well as reduced access to services….

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A more inclusive post-Covid-19 world for persons with disabilities – how humanitarians can play their part

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One billion people live with a disability. The International Day of Persons with Disabilities provides a key opportunity to highlight the issues they face and take stock of how the humanitarian sector can play its part in building a more inclusive post-Covid-19 world. This is an urgent challenge. People with disabilities already face multiple risks to their health, safety, food security and livelihoods, and are disproportionally affected in humanitarian emergencies. These difficulties are compounded by…

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Digital Safeguarding for Migranting and Displaced Children

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An estimated 34 million children around the world have been forcibly displaced from their home 3 – and this number is growing year on year. Digital technologies have the potential to transform programming with migrant and displaced children by making it easier to reach and assist mobile populations, increasing efficiencies and driving improvements in programme quality, enabling Save the Children and other agencies to deliver greater impact for some of the world’s most vulnerable children….

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How many Children and Young People have Internat Access at Home? Estimating digital connectivity during the COVID-19 pandemic

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Key messages Globally, 2.2 billion children and young people aged 25 years or less – two-thirds of children and young people worldwide – do not have an internet connection at home. More than two-thirds of school-age girls and boys aged approximately 3 to 17 years (1.3 billion children) and 63 per cent of youths aged 15 to 24 years (almost 760 million youths) lack internet access at home. 768 million children and young people aged…

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COVID-19 and Fragile Peace Process in South Sudan

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The recently signed Revitalized peace Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) on 12 September 2018 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, by the warring parties in South Sudan, has been widely extolled and commended as a significant development signaling the dawn of peace. The R-ARCSS provides broad comprehensive framework for key reform processes to usher the country towards stable democracy. As the world suffers from the second wave of…

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Breaking the glass ceiling: A smarter approach to protection financing

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Humanitarian crises often involve the daily threat of violence, forced displacement and a host of other protection risks that cause immeasurable suffering to civilians. The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated these concerns and presented new challenges. The humanitarian community in 2013 took the bold step of committing to the “centrality of protection” within humanitarian action. As a report from the Global Protection Cluster (GPC) that the same year showed, however, the protection sector has perennially been…

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