Policy Brief: COVID-19 and Conflict Sensitivity

COVID-19 has caused unprecedented disruption globally. Countries around the world are struggling to contain the pandemic and deal with a high number of hospitalisations and deaths. As the virus spreads to more fragile and conflict-affected contexts, the outcome may be devastating. Where the risk posed by COVID-19 intersects with other vulnerabilities, including those associated with poverty, displacement, gender, and age, its impact will be more severe. 

World Vision International and Search for Common Ground are international non-governmental organisations (INGO) contributing to the COVID-19 response in areas affected by some of the world’s most protracted conflicts. We have serious concerns about the immediate and long-term impact of COVID-19 and ongoing response measures on the well-being of people, in particular of children and young people, living in conflict-affected and fragile contexts. In this brief, we aim to highlight the need for a conflict-sensitive response and provide recommendations for strengthening European donors’ global COVID-19 response.