This list of UN and partner responses to the COVID-19 pandemic has been compiled by UNESCO in association with the FRESH network. It will be regularly updated as new resources are produced. If you have COVID-19 health education response resources to share with the global school health and nutrition network please contact us.
Information from the United Nations (UN) system
Information from UN offices, field missions, agencies, funds and programmes, in their spheres of expertise, as it becomes available. Below are further details on those agencies responding to health and education issues.
UNESCO: COVID-19 Educational Disruption and Response
Latest updates on the impact of COVID-19 on education, as well as UNESCO’s support to countries in their efforts to mitigate the immediate impact of school closures and facilitate the continuity of education for all. UNESCO has also launched the Global Education Coalition to facilitate inclusive learning opportunities for children and youth during this period of sudden and unprecedented educational disruption.
UNICEF: Coronavirus (COVID-19). What you need to know about the virus to protect you and your family
Latest news and fact based information on COVID-19, including advice for parents, teens, teachers and employees.
WFP: COVID-19 Pandemic
WFP’s response to COVID-19, including a continuously updated map showing the impact on the provision of school meals, and a compilation of measures taken by countries to address the loss of school meals.
WHO: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic
Latest updates on COVID-19 including daily press releases, technical guidance, advice for the public and research updates. The Country & technical guidance section includes resources for governments responding to the pandemic, organized by topic. The page on Advice for the public includes information on healthy parenting. A library of COVID-19 visual tools includes communication materials on transmission, precaution measures, protecting high-risk groups and mental health.
FAO: Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
FAO’s action in response to the outbreak and key messages, including on food security and nutrition priorities, as well as policy responses on school feeding.
UN Women: Gender equality in COVID-19 response
Up-to-date information and analysis on how and why gender matters in the COVID-19 response and highlights of the impact of the pandemic on violence against women and girls.
UNAIDS: COVID-19 and HIV
A collection of resources and stories on what people living with HIV need to know about HIV and COVID-19, showing how UNAIDS is working with governments and community partners to find local solutions.
UNFPA: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic
News, technical briefs and UNFPA global response plan to COVID-19 including advice on sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equality and addressing gender-based violence.
UNHCR: Coronavirus outbreak
A live blog on refugees in the COVID-19 crisis and how UNHCR is working to help and support refugees and displaced people. The site also houses a collection of resources, considerations and guidance to help ensure everyone can continue learning amid the coronavirus situation.
UNODC: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) - UNODC updates
Resources and guidance for people who use drugs and with drug use disorders, who are in prison and who have HIV/Hepatitis C.
The World Bank Group: COVID-19 (coronavirus)
Data, resources and news on accelerating the international response country support.
Responses from other international partners
Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE): Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources
A collection of resources to support the provision of education in places affected by COVID-19, with particular focus on distance learning, alternative education, and psychosocial support.
Global Partnership for Education (GPE): GPE and the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic
GPE is supporting partner countries to deal with the disruptions to education systems leaving millions of children out of school.
Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children: Protecting Children During the COVID-19 Outbreak
Resources for children, adults, and responders, along with a social media kit and a resource pack with six tips in multiple languages to help parents interact constructively with their children during this time of confinement.
Maps and Dashboards
Global monitoring of school closures caused by COVID-19 (UNESCO)
Global Monitoring of School Meals During COVID-19 School Closures (WFP)
Knowledge map: WASH in schools and Coronavirus (WASH in Schools Network)
Key Resources
Health and nutrition during home learning (UNESCO)
Evidence tells us that a range of health and protection risks arise from a global pandemic, school closures and attempted distancing measures. Issues vary across settings, reflecting the nature of the pandemic, other crisis situations present, resourcing, extent of enforced isolation measures, and family or household structure. While this is a crisis situation, it can also be seen as a window for providing critical health education, and promoting the health and wellbeing of families and learners now and in the future.
Key messages and actions for COVID-19 prevention and control in schools (UNICEF, WHO and IFRC)
Actionable guidance for safe operations through the prevention, early detection and control of COVID-19 in schools and other educational facilities. Education can encourage students to become advocates for disease prevention and control at home, in school, and in their community by talking to others about how to prevent the spread of viruses. Maintaining safe school operations or reopening schools after a closure requires many considerations but, if done well, can promote public health.
Learning must go on: COVID-19 advocacy brief (INEE)
This brief highlights some of the potential impacts of school closures on children, with a focus on the most marginalised, including those already living in crisis and conflict contexts. It provides recommendations for governments and donors, together with partners, to ensure that safe, quality and inclusive learning reaches all children and that education systems are strengthened ready for the return to school.
Mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition of schoolchildren (WFP, FAO, UNICEF)
This joint note is aimed at providing preliminary guidance to national and local authorities, school administrators and staff and implementing partners on how to take short-term measures to support, transform or adapt school feeding programmes in their efforts to safeguard the food security and nutritional status of school-aged children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
My Hero is You: How Kids can fight COVID-19 (IASC MHPSS RG)
A book written for children around the world affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The project was developed by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Reference Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings, supported by global, regional and country based experts from Member Agencies of the IASC MHPSS RG, in addition to parents, caregivers, teachers and children in 104 countries.
Policy brief: The impact of COVID-19 on children (United Nations)
Children are not the face of this pandemic. But they risk being among its biggest victims. This policy brief provides an analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on children. It identifies also a series of immediate and sustained actions for the attention of governments and policymakers.
Technical note: Protection of children during the Coronavirus pandemic (The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action)
The aim of this brief is to support child protection practitioners to better respond to the child protection risks during a COVID-19 pandemic. Related resources including a Webinar can be found on the dedicated page of the Alliance.
Selected webinars
Keeping Education Running: Group Handwashing in Schools
This webinar discusses the importance of handwashing in disease prevention in response to the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
Inter-Agency Responses and Guidance on COVID-19 for Schools
This webinar presents technical guidance and tools to support schools in addressing the competing priorities associated with a pandemic response to ensure the well-being and safety of their population.
Visit the resource library for our full collection of resources on COVID-19.