Everyone everywhere is trying to make sense of COVID-19’s immediate and long-term impact on all our lives. While it affects us all, those more vulnerable will be hit hardest, worst and longest – including by economic and societal effects in richer countries. It’s a moment when our deep roots and solidarity links, including as Alliance2015 matter more than ever. They must now come into play as we try to support preparedness, response and long-term recovery in the countries where we work, as well as each other.
It is our duty as engaged humanitarian and development specialists to alert our publics about the enormous potential impact of COVID-19 on the poorest contexts, and the critical links between preparedness and short medium and long term response of everyone, regardless of their country of origin. CSO at all levels are a critical part of the joint response, ensuring the key link to most vulnerable and hardest-to-reach populations.
What are Alliance2015 members doing to face COVID-19 emergency?
Alliance2015 members have a joint presence in 53 countries and of those, member operations are being reduced, suspended or closed due to COVID-19 in around 10[1]. Ongoing reviews are being carried out in each of the project countries to determine how to best adapt programming to COVID-19 needs, where the restrictions of host and donor governments allow.
Thanks to their experience of dealing with the prevention of highly infectious disease transmission (e.g. Ebola), Alliance2015 members are already training teams in some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries on COVID-19 prevention and response. They are working with local health authorities to ensure a coordinated effort across water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), community education, food safety and healthcare worker training.
Download the full statement here.
Moreover, you can check in details what Alliance2015 members are doing to face COVID-19: Acted, Ayuda en Acción, Cesvi, Concern, Helvetas, Hivos, PIN and Welthungerhilfe.
[1] In Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, India, Nepal, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria. This is an approximate number, as the world situation is continuously evolving: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html.
