This policy brief recommends three ways policy makers around  the world can create a more robust and holistic humanitarian  response in Latin America along three axes: 1) regional harmonization  of migration and protection policies, 2) increased engagement of non-US donors to the humanitarian response plans, and  3) utilizing lessons learned from regional initiatives responding to humanitarian concerns in other parts of the world.  As donors and implementing partners consider how to operationalize the recommendations that will come out of the Summit of the Americas and the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection, this brief outlines a way forward that could deliver a more coordinated humanitarian response in Latin America.

Women and girls’ perspectives on COVID-19 impacts on sexual and reproductive health and safety

Global responses to the COVID-19 pandemic have collided with long-standing sexual and reproductive health inequities. While COVID-19 has had a significant, and in some cases devastating, impact on health systems around the world, studies show that people whose human rights are least protected—such as refugees, displaced peoples, and conflict-affected populations—are the ones who suffer the most. The IRC’s work in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh—home to the world’s largest refugee settlement—inevitably became more challenging during COVID-19. This assessment explores the intersecting impacts of the pandemic on the demand, access, and delivery of SRH services and protective measures. It incorporates the perspectives of women, girls, and boys from Rohingya and host communities, as well as service providers (e.g., frontline health workers, doctors, midwives, etc.) and other key informants (e.g., local officials, NGO staff, etc.). It was also intended as a learning exercise, so that SRH services can be more accessible and prioritized during future public health emergencies.

Download the International Rescue Committee's code of conduct, the IRC Way, in any of 19 languages.

This Ukraine crisis FAQ from the IRC provides information and resources for people who need to leave Ukraine or refugees who have left and need support.

The IRC has launched a new multi-year project in the United States called the Center for Adjustment, Resilience, and Recovery (CARRE).