United Nations Comprehensive Response to COVID-19: Saving Lives, Protecting Societies, Recovering Better

Since the beginning of the pandemic,the United Nations has pursued a strategy based on three pillars:

1. A large-scale, coordinated and comprehensive health response, guided by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan. As part of this response, the United Nations is supporting efforts to accelerate work towards a COVID-19 vaccine,diagnostics and treatment that are affordable and available to everyone, everywhere. The UN is also establishing international coordination and operational support at global, regional and country level, and supporting the scaling up of country preparedness and response operations.
2.  A wide-ranging effort to address the devastating socioeconomic, humanitarian and human rights aspects of the crisis, with a focus on saving lives, keeping vital services accessible, households afloat, businesses solvent, supply chains functioning, institutions strong, public services delivering and human rights at the forefront. This includes the immediate humanitarian response to support the most vulnerable people in the most vulnerable countries with life-saving assistance through a Global Humanitarian Response Plan. It also includes the call for a stimulus package amounting to at least 10 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product, as well as massive support to developing countries, including a debt standstill, debt restructuring and greater support through the international financial institutions. Preventing and responding to the increased levels of violence against women and girls is also critical.
3. A recovery process that builds back better. Emerging from this crisis is an opportunity to address the climate crisis, inequalities,exclusion, gaps in social protection systems and the many other fragilities and injustices that have been exposed. Instead of going back to unsustainable systems and approaches, we need to transition to renewable energy, sustainable food systems, gender equality, stronger social safety nets,universal health coverage and an international system that can deliver consistently and universally – with the Sustainable Development Agenda as our guide.