UNHCR is warning that many displaced indigenous communities in Latin America are now dangerously exposed and at risk of COVID-19.

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 stepped up its efforts in Brazil to protect tens of thousands of refugees and migrants from Venezuela and their host communities, as the Latin American country has become the second worst affected country in the world.

UNHCR has released the report “Coming Together for Refugee Education” which notes that half of all refugee children are out of school and calls for immediate and bold action by the international community to beat back the catastrophic effects of the coronavirus.

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 calls for aid and access to social safety nets for refugees as COVID-19 causes severe hardship.

UNHCR and partner organizations have further intensified their COVID-19 response in the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, following the first confirmed case of coronavirus among the refugee population.

UNHCR and WHO signed a new agreement to strengthen and advance public health services for the millions of forcibly displaced people around the world.

UNHCR and IOM jointly launched a USD 1.44 billion regional plan to respond to the growing needs of refugees and migrants from Venezuela and the communities hosting them. The onset of COVID-19 has dangerously strained national and local capacities across the region. Many refugees and migrants and their host communities now face a myriad of new challenges that worsen their already precarious conditions.

UNHCR and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 03 February 2020, with the overall goal of ensuring refugees and other forcibly displaced can access vaccines on par with nationals. The MoU also looks at expanding coverage and quality of immunization services, promoting equity in access and uptake of vaccines, and strengthening health systems at community and primary care level.