Global Response Appeal: Safe Delivery - Even Now UNFPA Coronavirus Disease (COVID- 19)

March - April 2020 requirements: US$67,500,000

The Novel Coronavirus was designated a "public health emergency of international concern" on 30 January 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO).  On 11 March 2020, WHO declared Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) a pandemic. By 19 March, more than 205,000 COVID-19 cases had been confirmed in 166 countries and territories, with more than 8,648 deaths reported and cases continued to rise at a rapid pace.

The unprecedented consequences of this pandemic and the restrictive measures imposed by most countries have negatively impacted access to lifesaving sexual and reproductive health services and response to gender-based violence in times where women and girls need these services most. UNFPA is working to support governments and partners to prioritize the particular needs of women and girls of reproductive age, in line with the UNFPA transformative results to end unmet need for family planning, end preventable maternal deaths, and end gender-based violence and harmful practices by 2030.

Prioritizing countries that have weak public health and social support systems, including countries in fragile and humanitarian situations, UNFPA efforts focus on strengthening health system capacity, procuring and delivering essential supplies, ensuring access to sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence services, promoting risk communication and community engagement, and contributing to the joint UN impact assessment.

UNFPA is further engaging and supporting partners (national governments, UN agencies, and NGOs), including through the WHO Strategic Response and Preparedness Plan, UN OCHA’s Global Appeal, and at the regional and country levels through UN country teams and newly formed coordination structures.  

Funding requirements

The indicative funding requirement supporting UNFPA’s planned interventions stands at US$67,500,000 for two months, with an approximate breakdown by major response areas outlined in the table below. Given that COVID-2019 is a rapidly-evolving outbreak, the funding requirements are provisional and will be revised as needed, including in light of procurement challenges and availability. Due to the complexity of the pandemic, flexible resources at the global level will be essential to responding to priority countries and where needs are greatest.

Proposed Budget

Area of Intervention	Total (US$)
Intervention 1:  Strengthen national and local health system capacity  to ensure access to GBV and SRH services Develop interventions, in consultation with national partners, for strengthening the health system capacity to ensure access to sexual and reproductive health services, especially for pregnant women, young people and vulnerable people impacted by the pandemic. This includes the recruitment and training of national health care and other caregiver personnel as well as internal country surge deployments.	12,000,000
Intervention 2: Strengthen operational support, logistics, and support to the global supply chain Preposition the 12 first level of response items recommended by WHO (including gloves, gowns, coveralls, goggles, masks, respirators, aprons, shoes, and headcovers)	40,000,000
Intervention 3: Provide risk communication and community engagement for information and stigma reduction Through community engagement strategies, strengthen risk reduction messages and actions; and address needs of women and girls including the specific needs of women in reproductive age in quarantine.	6,000,000
Intervention 4: Access to SRH and GBV services for women and girls A.    Ensure that pregnant women, women in labour and delivery, and lactating women, including those under quarantine, have timely access to safe and quality health care including sexual and reproductive health care, and psychosocial support services at all levels to meet needs through mobile clinics and other means. B.    Ensure that women and girls have access to GBV prevention and response services, including GBV survivor services such as temporary shelter, safe housing, and financial support.	8,000,000
Intervention 5: Impact assessment Contribute to the joint UN impact assessment on the socioeconomic and health impact of the pandemic.	1,500,000
Total Cost	67,500,000