BackgroundClimate change is one of the great challenges of our time. The consequences of climate change on exposed biological subjects, as well as on vulnerable societies, are a concern for the entire scientific community. Rising temperatures, heat waves, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, droughts, fir...es, loss of forest, and glaciers, along with disappearance of rivers and desertification, can directly and indirectly cause human pathologies that are physical and mental.
more
Humanitarian crises can affect women, men, girls and boys in radically different ways. To address the different impacts of conflict and disasters on each group and promote the potential for positive transformation of gender norms, Oxfam calls for humanitarian agencies to analyse, plan, and respond t...o crises in ways that address practical gender needs and promote women’s rights. Oxfam is committed to promoting gender equality and preventing gender-based violence, through the implementation of its Minimum Standards for Gender in Emergencies. In addition, the promotion of gender equality must be central to the broader efforts to protect civilians and manage and prevent conflict and armed violence.
more
Over 1 million people, including an estimated 450,000 children, are affected by Myanmar’s decade-long conflict and are increasingly vulnerable to gender-based violence, exploitation, abuse, detention and trafficking.
Community transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is increasing in... Myanmar. COVID-19 requires a nationwide response focusing on critical urban and vulnerable populations, such as those in overcrowded camps for internally displaced persons.
more
Healthy Settings, a key component of Malawi’s Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP) 2011–2016, is the World Health Organization’s (WHO) holistic community-led approach to achieving health improvement by addressing social determinants of health, an approach which is central to the current WHO fra...mework on integrated people-centred health services. Healthy Settings projects by their construct have many different components which vary from one group and community to another depending on their priorities: from housing, hospital improvements and waste management to “softer” interventions like leadership skills training and health promotion. It can be challenging to find relevant indicators to monitor and assess the impact of such a complex holistic project, this paper explores if social capital data can provide useful impact assessment indicators at the start of such a project.
more
Multiple pandemics, numerous outbreaks, thousands of lives lost and billions of dollars of national income wiped out—all since the turn of this century, in barely 17 years—and yet the world’s investments in pandemic preparedness and response remain woefully inadequate. We know by now that the ...world will see another pandemic in the not-too-distant future; that random mutations occur often enough in microbes that help them survive and adapt; that new pathogens will inevitably find a way to break through our defenses; and that there is the increased potential for intentional or accidental release of a synthesized agent. Every expert commentary and every analysis in recent years tells us that the costs of inaction are immense. And yet, as
the havoc caused by the last outbreak turns into a fading memory, we become complacent and relegate the case for investing in preparedness on a back burner, only to bring it to the forefront when the next outbreak occurs. The result is that the world remains scarily vulnerable.
more
"Helping Traumatized Children Learn is the result of an extraordinary collaboration among educators, parents, mental health professionals, community groups, and attorneys determined to help children experiencing the traumatic effects of exposure to family violence succeed in school."
The WHO SAGE values framework for the allocation and prioritization of COVID-19 vaccination is intended to offer guidance on the prioritization of groups for vaccination when vaccine supply is limited. It provides a values foundation for the objectives of COVID-19 vaccination programmes and links t...hose to target groups for vaccination. This information is valuable to countries and globally while specific policies will be developed once vaccines become available.
This document it available in Arabic, Chinese English, French, Portuguese and Russian
more
Six months after the earthquake, World Vision's efforts have made it possible to provide emergency assistance to selected beneficiaries among the most vulnerable through the distribution of food and hygiene kits and to address the psychosocial needs of children, adolescents, and young people deprive...d of classrooms. During this recovery phase of the response by World Vision teams have been focusing on rebuilding and rehabilitating school infrastructure in order to facilitate the return to school in safer conditions given the almost permanent seismic risks. Six months later, the security situation continues to deteriorate with an increase in kidnappings and nationwide strikes to protest against the rising insecurity.
more
The Operational guide: use of referral laboratories for the analysis of foodborne hazards in the Pacific aims to strengthen the food analysis capacity of Pacific Island countries and areas by identifying national and reference laboratories capable of testing for priority foodborne hazards. The Pacif...ic Island countries and areas are often vulnerable to food safety incidents and emergencies due to their geographical distribution and dependence on food imports. The guide outlines key considerations for selecting referral laboratories and submitting samples to them, enabling continuous improvement of food safety systems and providing safe food for all. The target audiences are health and food safety authorities.
more
This document was prepared by UNICEF Regional Office for West and Central Africa, under the leadership of Christophe Valingot and the review of Joachim Peeters (WASH Specialist) and Arnaud Laillou (Nutrition Specialist), on behalf of the WASH Regional Group and the Nutrition Regional Group.
This ...WASH - Nutrition strategic guidance note for West and Central Africa builds on the precedent WASH-in-NUT strategy elaborated in 2012 and is the regional outcome of a multiyear collaborative work conducted at country level between 2018 and 2022, in Mali, Niger, Nigeria Chad, Burkina Faso. This work is based on a strong multi-partner collaboration, involving national technical directorates of the water and sanitation sector as well as technical directorates of Health and Nutrition, civil society organizations, national and international NGOs as well as United Nations agencies.
This document can serve as a technical and strategic guide for any partner wishing to strengthen the intersectorality of WASH-Nutrition programmes. It presents the regional WASH & Nutrition context, a brief review of the latest scientific evidence, and proposes an integrated WASH-Nutrition programming framework adapted to the regional context of West and Central Africa. Beyond the implementation of programmes, this document also calls for the explicit and concrete inclusion of WASH-Nutrition integration into national policy documents.
more
PlosOne https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0196799; Zoonotic diseases continue to be a public health burden globally. Uganda is especially vulnerable due to its location, biodiversity, and population. Given these concerns, the Ugandan government in collaboration with the Global Health Security Age...nda conducted a One Health Zoonotic Disease Prioritization Workshop to identify zoonotic diseases of greatest national concern to the Ugandan government.
more
COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care (LTC) facilities can have devastating effects on the health and well-being of residents, as they are vulnerable to serious infection due to their age and possible underlying medical conditions. Strengthening infection prevention and control (IPC) prac...tice is crucial to prevent spread of COVID-19. This preparedness checklist consists of several elements that are crucial for preparing LTCF for COVID-19. It can be used by facility administrators, IPC focal points or staff, internal or external professionals.
more
Este recurso y el asesoramiento relacionado fueron elaborados a solicitud de gobiernos y asociados de respuesta como una manera rápida de obtener datos valiosos y reveladores que podrían ser utilizados para crear a medida intervenciones para mejor atender las necesidades de la gente a nivel comuni...dad, y de esta manera contribuir a la respuesta de la salud pública en general ante el virus de Zika y sus posibles complicaciones. Puede ser utilizado en comunidades donde ya existen casos de transmisión del virus de Zika, o en comunidades vulnerables.
more
Considerando las repercusiones del cambio climático cada vez más intensas en todo el mundo, las naciones deben aumentar drásticamente la financiación y la implementación de medidas diseñadas para ayudar a las naciones y comunidades vulnerables a adaptarse a la tormenta de fenómenos climático...s extremos, señala un reciente informe del Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Medio Ambiente (PNUMA).
more
Selon un nouveau rapport du Programme des Nations Unies pour l'environnement (PNUE), alors que les conséquences du réchauffement climatiques s'intensifient dans le monde entier, les nations doivent accroître considérablement le financement et la mise en œuvre des actions destinées à aider les... nations et les communautés vulnérables à s'adapter à la tempête climatique.
more
This document brings to attention key health and human rights considerations with regards to COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights the importance of integrating a human rights based approach in response to COVID-19. It provides key considerations in relation to addressing stigma and discrimination, preve...ntion of violence against women, support for vulnerable populations; quarantine and restrictive measures and shortages of supplies and equipment. It also highlights human rights obligations with regards to global cooperation to address COVID-19.
more
The Urban Health Equity Assessment and Response Tool (Urban HEART) is a user-friendly guide for policy- and decision-makers at national and local levels to: identify and analyse inequities in health between people living in various parts of cities, or belonging to different socioeconomic groups with...in and across cities; facilitate decisions on viable and effective strategies, interventions and actions that should be used to reduce inter- and intra-city health inequities.
Also available in French and Spanish: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/79060
more
The winter season is approaching fast, while older people (OP) and people with disabilities (PwD) have already been living in the harsh environment of a full-scale war for eight months, with their basic needs and human rights at risk of being neglected and violated for eight years of ongoing war.
T...he recent brutal attacks on the critical infrastructure facilities such as power plants and power substations in eight regions of Ukraine, including Kyiv, show the alarming prediction that this winter is going to be challenging for the affected areas, especially for the vulnerable people residing there
more
The number of people facing acute food insecurity1 is growing at an alarming rate in the European Union (EU) Member States of Central Eastern Europe. COVID-19 and the resulting disruption to global markets, trade, and food supply chains have negatively affected food security since 2020; now, this ha...s been compounded by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Women and girls who have been displaced from Ukraine into Hungary are facing tremendous obstacles to their safety and wellbeing, particularly given the link between food insecurity and gender-based violence (GBV). Urgent policy responses and concrete actions are needed to support low-income households and vulnerable communities, particularly women and their families displaced from Ukraine, to stem this growing crisis.
more
For centuries, indigenous peoples around the world have used their traditional knowledge to prepare for, cope with and survive disasters. Their methods and practices originated within their communities and have been maintained and passed down over generations. Until recently, policy makers have larg...ely ignored this vast body of knowledge, in favor of ‘Western’ science and technologybased methods of disaster risk reduction and response. Today, however, many of these traditional practices are considered important and necessary contributions to the conservation of biodiversity and environmental sustainability. Yet at the same time, this knowledge is under constant threat of being eroded or lost, making these communities more vulnerable...
more