From outbreak to action: How WFP responded to COVID-19

|by

, ||||

COVID-19 is the worst crisis the world has faced since World War II. The impacts of the pandemic were felt worldwide, in developed and developing countries alike. While conflict and insecurity remain the main drivers of hunger, the added dimension of COVID-19 exacerbated the ability of affected communities to cope, causing a drastic reduction in livelihood opportunities, employment and income – pushing many communities already on the brink further into desperate circumstances. In April 2020,…

Read more

Civic Freedoms and the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Snapshot of Restrictions and Resilience

|by

||, ||

Key findings: Civic activism continues during the COVID-19 pandemic and people have continued to mobilise to demand their rights Violations of protest rights have been documented: protesters are being detained, protests are being disrupted and excessive force is being used by states. Restrictions on the freedom of expression and access to information continue. States are enacting overly broad emergency legislation and legislation that limits human rights.   Download

Read more

Democracy under Lockdown: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Global Struggle for Freedom

|by

, ||||

Based on a survey of 398 journalists, civil society workers, activists, and other experts as well as research on 192 countries by Freedom House’s global network of analysts, this report is the first of its kind and the most in-depth effort to date to examine the condition of democracy during the pandemic (see full methodology). The research strongly supports the hypothesis that the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating the 14 years of consecutive decline in freedom….

Read more

Strengthening livelihoods and preventing child marriage in times of COVID-19

|by

|, |||

Millions of parents and caregivers have lost income and jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the sudden economic shock has forced many households to expose children to harmful and dangerous practices, such as begging or child marriage. According to recent data from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), almost 25 million jobs (formal and informal) are currently at risk. An estimated 385 million children already live in extreme poverty, with families struggling to fulfil their most…

Read more

Crises have changed. Can the aid industry?

|by and

, ||||

The humanitarian system has developed to respond to geographically contained and separate crises that are usually a long-haul flight from the centres of power and wealth that sustain it. But that is no longer how crises work. The COVID-19 pandemic provides a text-book example of systemic risk, where shocks are transmitted through the networks and systems that our global economy depends on. The cascading consequences are hard to predict, leaving policymakers aghast and adrift as…

Read more

What have we learnt? Findings from a survey of ministries of education on national responses to COVID-19

|by , and

||, ||

According to this new report published by UNESCO (Headquarters and Institute for Statistics), UNICEF (Headquarters and Office of Research) and the World Bank, schoolchildren in low- and lower-middle-income countries have already lost nearly four months of schooling since the start of the pandemic, compared to an average of six weeks among high-income countries. Compiling data from surveys on national education responses to COVID-19 from 149 countries between July and October, the report also finds that…

Read more

“Whoever finds the vaccine must share it” Strengthening Human Rights and Transparency Around Covid-19 Vaccines

|by

, ||||

This report examines key elements of a human rights-based approach to Covid-19 vaccines funding rooted in principles of transparency and accountability. It assesses how a variety of core rights—including but not limited to the rights to life, health, and an adequate standard of living—are being taken into account by governments. Human Rights Watch argues that governments spending public money on Covid-19 vaccines should take all possible measures within their power to ensure the scientific benefits…

Read more

Phase II: COVID-19 crisis through a migration lens

|by

||, ||

The economic crisis induced by COVID-19 could be long, deep, and pervasive when viewed through a migration lens. In October 2020, COVID19 case numbers rose again to surpass 44 million. The number of fatalities surpassed 1.1 million. A recurrence of COVID19 phases accompanied by lockdowns, travel bans, and social distancing cannot be ruled out well into 2021. Although economic activities and employment levels around the world have rebounded to varying degrees from the depths reached…

Read more

The role of development finance institutions in supporting jobs during Covid-19 and beyond

|by

||, ||

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to dire global economic consequences, including a significant loss of jobs across the world, worsening an already precarious situation for the world’s workers. Policy-makers face major challenges in protecting jobs. Although development finance institutions (DFIs) are actively supporting the creation of a large number of jobs and improving their quality, they could do more to ensure that recent progress towards economic development is not completely wiped out.   Read more

Read more

Moving from rhetoric to action: how Africa can use scientific evidence to halt the COVID-19 pandemic

|by and

||||, ,

The ongoing pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 has spread rapidly to all countries of the world. Africa is particularly predisposed to an escalation of the pandemic and its negative impact given its weak economy and health systems. In addition, inadequate access to the social determinants of health such as water and sanitation and socio-cultural attributes may constrain the implementation of critical preventive measures such as hand washing and social distancing on the continent. Given these facts,…

Read more