Attachments
Across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, 19 out of 19 countries have included refugees in their national COVID-19 vaccination programmes or plans.
UNHCR works with national and local authorities to improve access to basic and social services for those forcibly displaced and encourage their socio-economic inclusion.
UNHCR also continues to provide targeted protection services assistance to people of concern across MENA to address the health and socio-economic impacts of the pandemic.
KEY FIGURES
16.1 million people of concern in MENA (2022 planning figure), including:
12.4 million internally displaced people (IDPs)
2.4 million refugees and asylum-seekers
712,000 IDP and refugee returnees
209,000 stateless individuals
19 out of 19 countries in MENA are including people of concern in national COVID-19 health response
COVID-19 RESPONSE
Overview
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In 2022, UNHCR’s COVID-19 response continues its focus on advocating for the inclusion of people of concern to UNHCR in national public health systems and other national responses. To mitigate the socioeconomic and protection impacts of COVID-19, UNHCR will keep adapting its assistance, particularly cash programming which has demonstrated positive immediate mitigating effects, thereby helping to mitigate the negative impact of the pandemic for forcibly displaced people and their host communities.
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From 2022, UNHCR’s ongoing COVID-19 programming—such as in the health, WASH, shelter, camp coordination and camp management (CCCM), and protection sectors—have been fully ‘mainstreamed’ into activities as part of the Global Appeal.
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UNHCR works closely with government authorities, partners, forcibly displaced people and host communities at the Inter-Agency Coordination Forum to ensure a harmonized response to emerging needs, including through communication with communities to ensure refuges and asylum-seekers remain informed on the COVID-19 situation and its impact, and ensuring their access to critical protection services.