UNFPA is making a difference in the COVID-19 response by focusing on the continuity of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response, risk communication and community engagement, and provision of lifesaving supplies including modern contraceptives, maternal health drugs and supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE).
As part of the UN Global Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP), UNFPA has reached over 5 million women with SRH services in 34 countries, 1.3 million adolescents and youth aged 10-24 with SRH information and services, and delivered more than 1 million surgical masks to 18 countries. In addition, 82 percent of countries that requested core commodities to implement SRH services received them. About 72 percent of supplies that arrived were distributed to implementing partners between 1 March and 30 June 2020.
GBV services in targeted geographic areas have decreased overall during COVID-19. Of 820 targeted areas across 40 GHRP reporting countries, minimum GBV response services were available in 625 areas pre-COVID and in 576 areas in June. While this progress is promising, UNFPA is concerned about the limited or lack of services in some geographic areas.
UNFPA assessed continuity of maternal health services by examining births in health facilities (in GHRP countries). Comparing the number of institutional births between March and June 2020 to a baseline in 2018 and 2019, 20 of 26 countries saw declines, ranging from less than 10 percent to as high as 60 percent in health facilities. These results may indicate disruptions in continuity of essential SRH care, with serious potential implications on maternal and newborn health.
