COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 Pandemic Response

Humanity needs leadership and
solidarity to defeat the coronavirus

The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time and the greatest challenge we have faced since World War Two. Since its emergence in Asia late last year, the virus has spread to every continent except Antarctica. Cases are rising daily in Africa the Americas, and Europe.

Countries are racing to slow the spread of the disease by testing and treating patients, carrying out contact tracing, limiting travel, quarantining citizens, and cancelling large gatherings such as sporting events, concerts, and schools.

The pandemic is moving like a wave—one that may yet crash on those least able to cope.

But COVID-19 is much more than a health crisis. By stressing every one of the countries it touches, it has the potential to create devastating social, economic and political crises that will leave deep scars.

We are in uncharted territory. Many of our communities are unrecognizable from even a week ago. Dozens of the world’s greatest cities are deserted as people stay indoors, either by choice or by government order. Across the world, shops, theatres, restaurants and bars are closing.

Every day, people are losing jobs and income, with no way of knowing when normality will return. Small island nations, heavily dependent on tourism, have empty hotels and deserted beaches. The International Labour Organization estimates that 25 million jobs could be lost.

UNDP response

Every country needs to act immediately to prepare, respond, and recover. The UN system will support countries through each stage, with a focus on the most vulnerable.

Drawing on our experience with other outbreaks such as Ebola, HIV, SARS, TB and malaria, as well as our long history of working with the private and public sector, UNDP will help countries to urgently and effectively respond to COVID-19 as part of its mission to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and build resilience to crises and shocks.

“We are already hard at work, together with our UN family and other partners, on three immediate priorities: supporting the health response including the procurement and supply of essential health products, under WHO’s leadership, strengthening crisis management and response, and addressing critical social and economic impacts.” UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner

We have teamed up with AMV, one of the world’s largest advertising agencies, and actor, writer and comedian Stephen Fry for the Tweet Zero campaign, which highlights the simple actions that can keep you safe; such as frequent hand washing, staying home when sick and not touching your face.

It will require all of society to limit the spread of COVID-19 and to cushion the potentially devastating impact it may have on vulnerable people and economies.

We must rebuild trust and cooperation, within and among nations, and between people and their governments.

UNDP’s support will also help ensure that the responses of individual countries are comprehensive as well as equitable and inclusive, so that no one is left out and countries can continue to make progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

While we do this, we must also consider ways to prevent a similar pandemic recurring. In the longer term, UNDP will look at ways to help countries to better prevent and manage such crises and ensure that the world makes full use of what we will learn from this one.

A global response now is an investment in our future.

UNDP Mongolia Response

UNDP in Mongolia is supporting COVID-19 Response and Recovery in Mongolia within the areas of governance and livelihoods to support the Government of Mongolia in implementing targeted protection measures for vulnerable groups and disrupted value chains.

UNDP has conducted a 'Rapid Socio-Economic Impact Assessment of COVID-19 on Vulnerable Groups and Value Chains in Mongolia' in consultation with with Government partners and UN Agencies. The purpose of the assessment was to generate information on the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 on poor and vulnerable groups, with a particular focus on the situation of women and youth. The outcomes of the assessment are expected to support the Government of Mongolia in conducting targeted impact mitigation measures to increase community resilience and build back better.

Download a brochure on the assessment results here.

UNDP has also mobilized Rapid Response Facility funding to assist the Government in its response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic based on build back better principles. Within this framework, a recovery coordination mechanism that will work towards developing and implementing a comprehensive national recovery strategy for socio-economic aspects will be established. An additional initiative will be implemented to support dairy and cashmere value chains respond and recover from the economic constraints caused by COVID-19 prevention measures, as women and herders, identified as vulnerable groups in Mongolia, prominently work in these fields.

COVID-19 mitigation activities by UNDP will be implemented in partnership with international organizations, donors and the government..