New IASC-endorsed Guidance on COVID-19 [Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)]

For your information and wide dissemination, please find the new IASC-endorsed guidance documents to support the humanitarian response during the COVID-19 outbreak:

1. Checklist to Protect from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse during COVID-19 This checklist is to accompany the full IASC Interim Technical Note on Protection form Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) during COVIID-19 Response. It is meant to be used as a quick reference card, representing minimum actions for project managers delivering in the field and in remote locations. The full Interim Technical Note has already been adopted into tip sheets by several country PSEA networks and this checklist is inspired by their efforts. The authoring bodies are: CHS Alliance, InterAction, IOM, Oxfam, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, OCHA, WFP, WHO, and the UN Victims’ Rights Advocate, in consultation with other IASC members. Additional PSEA resources can be found on the IASC website: https://psea.interagencystandingcommittee.org/psea-and-covid-19-response.
2. IASC Guidance on Operational Considerations for Multisectoral Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Programmes during the COVID-19 Pandemic This guidance was drafted by the IASC Reference Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in Emergency Settings to complement the IASC Interim Briefing Note Addressing MHPSS Aspects of COVID-19 Outbreak. The document contains a wealth of information and practical approaches that will allow humanitarian agencies to adapt and implement multisectoral MHPSS interventions in their humanitarian operations in the 64 countries prioritized by the COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan and beyond.
3. IASC Guidance on Basic Psychosocial Skills - A Guide for COVID-19 Responders This illustrated guide, also developed by the IASC MHPSS Reference Group, aims at building basic psychosocial skills among all essential workers responding to COVID-19. A short animation of the Guide is available here.

As a reminder, all IASC-endorsed guidance for the COVID-19 outbreak can be found on the IASC COVID-19 webpage.

Please contact IASC Correspondence <iasccorrespondence@un.org> should you have any questions.