After the deadly and devastating blast in Beirut on 4 August, UNHCR rushes to support the government-led response. The list of more than 200 fatalities also includes at least 34 reported refugee victims so far. The massive explosion adds to the already severe economic crisis that had pushed many Lebanese and refugees deeper into poverty, further aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The WB Fragility Forum 2020 is back – on your screen. Starting the week of June 8, the Fragility Forum Virtual Series will provide an online alternative to share practical solutions and concrete approaches to maximize the collective impact of humanitarian, development, security and peacebuilding actors to help prevent conflict, build resilience, and sustain peace. The Virtual Series covers the topics initially planned for the Forum, in line with the newly published World Bank Group Strategy for Fragility, Conflict, and Violence, with an added focus on the implications of COVID-19 in fragile and conflict-affected settings. The Forum will use various formats such as podcasts, experts' interviews, workshops, trainings and live events. https://www.worldbank.org/en/events/2020/03/02/fragility-forum-2020

Na’amal in cooperation with MIT ReACT, integrating their programming in skills training for remote work, professional mentorship as well as links to the remote private sector for internships and employment into their Data and Computer Science Certificate Program. Applications are open to all refugees and displaced people. https://react.mit.edu/apply/

We are looking for interesting blogs for our PAC website. https://alleviate-poverty.org/ If you have an interesting story to share, please contact Cian O`Brien .

UGANDA – New digital tool to empower farmers to access extension services The new digital tool is going to empower farmers to access extension services and market information through mobile telephones……The program is being implemented with the support of the Swedish government, through Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency, which is targeting women, youth, refugees and migrants, who are normally underserved when it comes to digital solutions.

Since the beginning of UNHCR’s COVID-19 response in Southern Africa, almost 1,900 health workers have been trained on COVID-19 prevention and response, nearly 4,400 additional hand washing facilities have been established and over 329,300 households received soap for handwashing to prevent COVID-19.

An estimated total of 1,2 million refugees, internally displaced persons and host community members had been reached by awareness-raising sessions on COVID-19.

UNHCR had installed 3,125 handwashing stations across DRC, over 102,000 persons received soap, and 2,069 community infrastructures had been disinfected

The humanitarian situation continues to aggravate in the east of the DRC. Attacks against civilians by armed groups and in some cases attributed to the Congolese army continue to uproot thousands of families.

In a press release, UNHCR has called upon states to urgently release refugees and asylum-seekers who are being unlawful and arbitrarily held in detention, asking that states act in accordance with international law and that amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, vulnerable refugees are not placed at heightened and unnecessary risk.