COVID19 DRAFT

IASC Interim Guidance - SCALING-UP COVID-19 OUTBREAK READINESS AND RESPONSE OPERATIONS IN HUMANITARIAN SITUATIONS - Including Camps and Camp-Like Settings - March 2020: This Interim Guidance addresses specific needs and considerations required in humanitarian situations, including camps and camp-like settings and the surrounding host communities, in scaling-up readiness and response operations for the COVID-19 outbreak through effective multi-sectoral partnership. The Guidance is developed in alignment with the WHO COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan and WHO Technical guidance for COVID-19

WHO COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan: Operational Planning Guidelines to Support Country Preparedness and Response (Published 12 Feb 2020)

WHO COVID-19: Operational Planning Guidelines to Support Country Preparedness and Response

CDC Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Hospital Preparedness Assessment Tool (Reviewed 14 Feb 2020)

Risk Communication and Community Engagement

WHO Risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) readiness and response to the 2019 novel coronavirus (‎‎2019-nCoV)

Inter Agency COVID-19: How to include marginalized and vulnerable people in risk communication and community engagement, Inter-Agency, 13 March 2020

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC)

WHO IPC during health care when COVID-19 infection is suspected (Published 25 Jan 2020)

Response

UN Global Humanitarian Response Plan on COVID-19

UNICEF UNICEF-COVID-19 WASH programme contribution to COVID-19 prevention and response - Overarching Document - March 2020

UNICEF UNICEF COVID-19 Programme Guidance_Feb 6

UNCTAD News about the UN call for a $2.5 trillion coronavirus crisis package for developing countries , published on 30 March on the UNCTAD website. UNCTAD also has a COVID-19 News, Analysis and resources  page, and has published a report on the impact of the crisis on developing countries from a trade perspective.

IASC Key Messages for the IASC Flexible Funding for Humanitarian Response and COVID19 The note reflects recommendations made by the IASC RG 5 on Humanitarian Financing (co-chaired by OCHA and ICVA), together with inputs from the EDG. These key messages reflect IASC commitments and are aligned with Grand Bargain principles aimed at putting assistance into the hands of people in need and to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian action.

Clusters are groups of humanitarian organizations, both UN and non-UN, in each of the main sectors of humanitarian action, e.g. nutrition. They are designated by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) and have clear responsibilities for coordination. The aim of the cluster approach is to strengthen system-wide preparedness and technical capacity to respond to humanitarian emergencies, and provide clear leadership and accountability in the main areas of humanitarian response. At country level, it aims to strengthen partnerships, and the predictability and accountability of international humanitarian action, by improving prioritization and clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of humanitarian organizations.
 

GNC Partners  are entities (organizations, groups or individuals) committed to respecting fundamental humanitarian principles, working in Nutrition in Emergencies, who are willing to actively help the GNC fulfill its role and contribute to the GNC work plan. Observers are organisations that are interested in the GNC work, but are not actively contributing to the GNC work plan.  At global level, the GNC has 46 partners and observers representing International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs), research and development groups, academic institutions, UN agencies, donors and individuals. At a country level, in addition to these partners, local authorities, national NGOs and community based organisations are an integral part of each Nutrition Cluster.

The Global Nutrition Cluster Coordination Team (GNC-CT) provides leadership and stewardship for coordination and functions as the secretariat and leadership for the Global Nutrition Cluster. The GNC-CT is staffed by UNICEF and housed within UNICEF Geneva.

The GNC-CT represents the GNC partners in global fora and provides operational support to country nutrition clusters while linking stakeholders and ensuring effective communications.

GNC Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) provides strategic support to the GNC-CT to guide direction of GNC affairs. The SAG is composed of representatives from GNC partners: three NGO partners, four UN agencies (UNICEF, WFP and UNHCR are standing members), two donor representatives and one Nutrition Cluster Coordinator.

The Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) are one option for sourcing surge/temporary staff for Clusters and AoRs. The RRT ensures that high level deployable surge staff are secured to ensure that the cluster functions can be supported or established in the event of a sudden onset crisis or if an existing crisis escalates dramatically. Each UNICEF led or co-led Cluster and AoR has an RRT, made up of high quality, rapidly deployable cluster coordinators and information management specialists. 

The Global Technical Assistance Mechanism for Nutrition is a common global approach endorsed by over 40 Global Nutrition Cluster partners to provide systematic, predictable, timely and coordinated nutrition technical support to countries in order to meet the nutrition rights and needs of people affected by emergencies. The Global Technical Assistance Mechanism for Nutrition (GTAM) is co-led by UNICEF as the Cluster Lead Agency & World Vision.