UN-Habitat COVID-19 Response Report

The Report on UN-Habitat’s COVID-19 Response covers a range of immediate response and longer term recovery activities at the corporate, regional and country levels from March to August 2020. During that time, UN-Habitat supported the overall response to the pandemic in 37 countries and more than 250 cities, benefiting 6.8 million people,the majority being residents of slums and informal settlements.

UN-Habitat COVID-19 Response

UN-Habitat is responding to a growing volume of requests from both national and local governments to help them prepare for, prevent, respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Building on more than 40 years of urban experience, much of it in humanitarian situations, we are focusing on the city-level response to the crisis.

UN-Habitat COVID-19 Policy and Programmatic Framework

UN-Habitat’s COVID-19 Policy and Programme Framework provides guidance for global, regional and country-level action. The framework is a key instrument to focus and scale UN-Habitat’s contribution to the overall response led by national and local governments, UN agencies and local partners. The framework will be updated as required by changing context and acquired learning or experience.

News and Stories

UN-Habitat and the COVID-19 Response

COVID-19

Cities and COVID-19

The impact of COVID-19 has been felt across the globe in a wide range of countries and very different environments. The pandemic has already affected countries in every region, making this a truly global situation where every country must take steps to prepare and respond. UN-Habitat has a clear added value in supporting national and local authorities as they take up this challenge.

COVID-19

Informal settlements and COVID-19

One billion people live in informal settlements and slums worldwide.  It is critical that they are given support to stay healthy given the challenges of practicing basic measures to protect themselves against COVID-19 such as handwashing and physical distancing and to prepare for any outbreak. Download the key messages below.

Key messages - COVID-19 and informal settlements

COVID-19

Housing and COVID-19

As COVID-19 spreads around the world, billions of people have been told to stay at home. However, this simple preventative public health measure is impossible for people who live in homelessness, or in unsafe or overcrowded housing.

COVID-19

Urban Transport and COVID-19

Public transport remains an essential service during the pandemic. Even as most people stay at home, cities must provide priority access to people who most need affordable and safe transport including those with disabilities, frontline health care and other essential workers. Informal settlement dwellers far from city centres need public transport to access the labour market and earn daily wages. And many have no other means of reaching medical facilities and other services.

COVID-19

Water, sanitation and hygiene in informal settlements and COVID-19

Access to safe water and sanitation services is critical to stop the spread and reduce the impact of COVID-19 in urban settings. The water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) needs of people living in informal settlements and slums, require specific attention.

Water, sanitation and hygiene in informal settlements and COVID-19

Gender and COVID-19

Gender and COVID-19

Existing social inequalities facing women and girls living in urban areas are likely to be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Public Space and COVID-19

Public Space and COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on movement have changed the relationship of citizens to their streets, public spaces and public facilities. Clearly public spaces must be part of the response to the virus whether to limit the spread of the virus, or to provide ways for people to relax or carry out their livelihood.

Countries of Action
Countries of Action