UNHCR is active around the world to provide mental health and psychosocial support during COVID-19. In Bangladesh, UNHCR has trained 43 national psychologists by using inter-agency guidance. The psychologists subsequently trained over 500 community psychosocial volunteers, para counsellors and community health workers in the promotion of healthy coping and maintaining psychosocial wellbeing.

UNHCR has embarked in new cash-based interventions in 40 countries and scaled up its existing cash assistance in 25 operations. Cash assistance helps to bridge the gap between the initial socio-economic impact of the pandemic and the time it takes to install national and international safety nets.

UNHCR’s Global Trends for 2019 reports that forced displacement now affects more than one per cent of humanity – 1 in every 97 people – and fewer and fewer are able to return home. COVID-19 exacerbates their situation even more, as it has an unprecedented global social and economic impact and is also affecting asylum systems. Under the theme ‘Everyone can make a difference, Every Action Counts’, UNHCR marked World Refugee Day on 20 June 2020.

In Latin America which accounts for nearly half of the deaths and cases worldwide, the combination of the hurricane season in the north of Central America and COVID-19 is exacerbating humanitarian needs. To combat these emergencies, UNHCR in El Salvador, together with the joint response team provided aid to 1,150 communities and information to 1.2 million people, while in Guatemala, UNHCR delivered bulk beds and mattresses to shelters.