Publications

This report summaries a global meeting organized by WHO and the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) with countries and key stakeholders in diagnostics to discuss and find concrete ways to improve and increase access to integrated multiplex technologies and determine how they can be translated into public health policy and ultimately have global impact.

Given the social distancing measures, RGA desk review contrasts pre-COVID-19 gender information and demographic data against new gender information from a multitude of surveys and qualitative sources. It examines the immediate impact of COVID-19 on pre-existing structural social and economic vulnerabilities of women, girls and diverse gender groups, and the challenges faced by these groups in accessing information and health, education, and WASH, protection and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) services as well as support for livelihoods.

This advocacy brief presents data and analysis on education funding from 42 countries and highlights major disparities in the distribution of public education funding. The brief notes that the lack of resources available for the poorest children is exacerbating a crippling learning crisis, as schools fail to provide quality education for their students. It calls on governments and key stakeholders to urgently address equity in education funding and presents specific actions required to achieve equitable quality education for every child.

The analysis presented in this report demonstrates that while girls' lives are better today than they were 25 years ago, the gains are uneven across all regions. The report calls on global, national and regional stakeholders to expand opportunities for girls and young women to be the changemakers and designers of the solutions to their challenges and opportunities; invest in the skills development of adolescent girls so they can compete in today's labour market; improve girls' health and nutrition; and end violence in all its forms against them.

This edition of UNICEF’s annual humanitarian funding appeal presents information about ongoing conflicts and disasters affecting millions of children and young people around the world – as well as achievements made by UNICEF and partners in response to these emergencies, and urgent humanitarian needs that remain unmet as 2020 begins. As the overview demonstrates, UNICEF continues working to reach the most vulnerable children and families with the life-saving support they need during and after emergencies. The overview also highlights efforts to strengthen the links between humanitarian action and development work, and thus to make a sustainable impact in areas affected or threatened by crises.

This Toolkit on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Crisis and Recovery Settings provides guidance on how to enable the leadership of women and girls while making sure that their specific needs are met. It consists of seven thematic Guidance Notes covering UNDP’s main areas of work in crisis and recovery contexts. Each Note offers concrete entry points and proven approaches for gender-equitable, transformative recovery and resilience programming. Additional Tip Sheets complement the Notes with fast facts and overviews of policy frameworks, concepts, indicators and innovative practices.

AIDS-related illnesses are the leading cause of death among women aged 15-49. Every day, an estimated 460 adolescent girls become infected with HIV. Gender inequality continues to contribute significantly to the spread of HIV leaving women and girls more vulnerable. Gender discriminatory laws, harmful traditional practices and gender-based violence reinforce unequal power dynamics between men and women, with adolescent girls and young women being particularly disadvantaged. Laws can either support efforts to fight HIV or present barriers to women’s and girls’ ability to access HIV and health services. Laws that sanction violence against women perpetuate gender inequality and negatively affect the HIV response for women and girls. As do criminal laws on HIV non-disclosure, exposure and transmission, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, choice of work, recreational activities and access to sexual and reproductive health services.

Gender-based violence (GBV) increases during every type of emergency – whether economic crises, conflict or disease outbreaks. Pre-existing toxic social norms and gender inequalities, economic and social stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with restricted movement and social isolation measures, have led to an exponential increase in GBV. Many women are in ‘lockdown’ at home with their abusers while being cut off from normal support services.

This document provides key performance indicator results for 2019 of the Multi-Country Western Pacific Integrated HIV/TB Programme. The programme is supported by the Global Fund and aims to strengthen control of HIV and TB in 11 Pacific island countries.

The COVID-19 pandemic is challenging health systems across the world. Rapidly increasing demand for care of people with COVID-19 is compounded by fear, misinformation and limitations on the movement of people and supplies that disrupt the delivery of frontline health care for all people. When health systems are overwhelmed and people fail to access needed services, both direct mortality and indirect mortality from preventable and treatable conditions increase (1-3). Decision-makers will need to make difficult choices to ensure that COVID-19 and other urgent, ongoing public health problems are addressed while minimizing risks to health workers and communities.