As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to tear across the globe, it has now reached the largest refugee camp in the world: in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, threatening the lives of some of the most vulnerable women and girls.

Adding to this unfolding crisis, Cyclone Amphan recently brought flooding and structural damage, and the monsoon season is quickly approaching.

More than 850,000 Rohingya refugees are living in confined spaces in the camps, where physical distancing is nearly impossible. Sanitation systems are poor and access to medical supplies and health services are severely limited. A COVID-19 outbreak would be catastrophic. Water contamination caused by cyclonic rains could lead to increased illnesses and lowered immune systems would leave Rohingya refugees even more vulnerable to the virus.

UN Women is on the ground working hard to prevent an outbreak leading a network of 400 refugee women educating people about how to protect themselves from COVID-19, and referring women to UN Women’s Multipurpose Women’s Centres for life-saving information, services and supplies from health care to counselling for survivors of violence.

But we urgently need your support to continue this work. Your donation will help women leaders carry out their vital prevention campaign, and continued health, hygiene and gender-based violence services in UN Women’s Multipurpose Women’s Centres. Show your support by giving a gift today. 

All gifts over $2 are fully tax-deductible.