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Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Cochrane resources and news

2020

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Cochrane provides high-quality, relevant, and up-to-date synthesized research evidence to inform health decisions. This page highlights content relating to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the various related activities that Cochrane is undertaking in response.

We will be continually adding updates and additions to this page. Sections include information and resources for:

 

  • Public, patients, and carers
  • Healthcare workers
  • Researchers
  • Policy and guideline developers
  • The Cochrane Community

The Sphere standards and the Coronavirus response

SPHERE
2020

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Sphere reviewed emerging practices in the Coronavirus outbreak response and released a 4-page document guiding you through the relevant parts of the Sphere Handbook. The document outlines the underlying principles and the importance of community engagement, as well as a detailed review of the relevant technical guidance in the WASH and Health chapter

The Sphere Handbook 2018

SPHERE
2018

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The Sphere Handbook is the oldest initiative in the field of humanitarian standards. It has been field-tested over twenty years and  regularly updated to ensure it remains fit for purpose in a changing world. What does not change is its rights-based foundations: people have the right to assistance, the right to life with dignity, the right to protection and security, and the right to fully participate in decisions related to their own recovery.

The Sphere Handbook 2018 is the fourth edition.

The Sphere Handbook comprises the Humanitarian Charter, the Protection Principles, the Core Humanitarian Standard, and minimum humanitarian standards in four vital areas of response:

Water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion (WASH)
Food security and nutrition
Shelter and settlement
Health

 

There are numerous references to people with disabilities through the handbook.

Problem Management Plus (PM+) Individual psychological help for adults impaired by distress in communities exposed to adversity

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
2016

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With this manual, the World Health Organization (WHO) is responding to requests from colleagues around the world who seek guidance on psychological interventions for people exposed to adversity.

The manual describes a scalable psychological intervention called Problem Management Plus (PM+) for adults impaired by distress in communities who are exposed to adversity. Aspects of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) have been changed to make them feasible in communities that do not have many specialists. To ensure maximum use, the intervention is developed in such a way that it can help people with depression, anxiety and stress, whether or not exposure to adversity has caused these problems. It can be applied to improve aspects of mental health and psychosocial well-being no matter how severe people’s problems are.

Independent by not alone. Global report on the right to decide

LAURIN-BOWIE, Connie
Ed
June 2014

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Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) reflects a fundamental shift in thinking: it asserts that with support all people with intellectual disabilities are able to make decisions and have control in their lives. This Global Report presents the perspective of people with intellectual disabilities and our families on the right to decide. Over two years, over 600 self-advocates, family members, disability advocates, and professionals participated in discussions motivated by Inclusion International's Global Campaign on the Right to Decide. Additionally, more than 80 organizations from more than 40 countries worldwide contributed.

The state of the world's children 2014 in numbers : every child counts

UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN’S FUND (UNICEF)
January 2014

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This report highlights the critical role data and monitoring play in realising children’s rights. It presents an updated compendium of statistics and data (which has been produced thirty years after the initial report) relating to the position of children throughout the world but particularly within the Global South. The data indicators cover a vast range: from demography, health and education, to rate of progression, child mortality, and disparities by household wealth. It emphasises that credible data, disseminated effectively and used correctly, make change possible to target interventions that help right the wrong of exclusion by identifying needs, supporting advocacy, gauging progress and holding duty bearers to account

The state of the world’s children 2013 : children with disabilities

THE UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN’S FUND (UNICEF)
May 2013

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This report examines "the barriers from inaccessible buildings to dismissive attitudes, from invisibility in official statistics to vicious discrimination - that deprive children with disabilities of their rights and keep them from participating fully in society. The report also lays out some of the key elements of inclusive societies that respect and protect the rights of all children, regardless of disability, and progress in helping all children to flourish and make their contribution to the world"

Sphere guidelines : humanitarian charter and minimum standards in humanitarian response|3rd Ed

THE SPHERE PROJECT
2011

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This handbook establishes shared principles and a set of universal minimum standards in core areas of humanitarian response. It provides a new chapter on protection principles, which considers the protection and safety of populations affected by disaster or armed conflict as an integral part of humanitarian response. It describes core standards for effective and accountable humanitarian response and advocacy, and outlines the minimum standards in the following four technical chapters: water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion; food security and nutrition; shelter, settlement and non-food items; and health action. Each minimum standard highlights key actions, key indicators and guidance notes
This edition also addresses emerging issues, such as climate change, disaster risk reduction, early recovery of services and livelihoods, cash transfers, and civil-military relations. Understanding and supporting local responses to disaster is a priority reflected in the whole handbook, as is reinforcing the capacity of local actors
This handbook is useful to all working in humanitarian response

Working with persons with disabilities in forced displacement

UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR)
2011

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"Refugees with disabilities have specific needs and face particular forms of discrimination. As highlighted in the Executive Committee Conclusion No. 110 (LXI)-2010, it is important for UNHCR to ensure that the rights of persons with disabilities who are of concern to the Office are met without discrimination. This places an onus on offices to develop a thorough understanding of the circumstances of persons with disabilities under their care. This note provides staff with guidance on a range of issues to consider in meeting these responsibilities"

INEE minimum standards for education : preparedness, response, recovery

INEE COORDINATION FOR MINIMUM STANDARDS
2010

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This resource presents "the minimum level of educational quality and access in emergencies through to recovery. The aim of the handbook is to enhance the quality of educational preparedness, response and recovery; to increase access to safe and relevant learning opportunities for all learners, regardless of their age, gender or abilities; and to ensure accountability and strong coordination in the provision of education in emergencies through to recovery...The INEE Minimum Standards are organised in five domains: Foundation standards; Access and learning environment; Teaching and learning; Teachers and other education; personnel; Education policy"

Mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian emergencies : what should humanitarian health actors know

IASC REFERENCE GROUP FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT IN EMERGENCY SETTINGS
2010

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"This document is for humanitarian health actors working at national and sub-national level in countries facing emergencies and crises. It applies to Health Cluster partners, including governmental and non-governmental health service providers. Based on the IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings (IASC, 2007), this document gives an overview of essential knowledge that humanitarian health actors should have about mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in humanitarian emergencies"

IASC guidelines for mental health and psychosocial support in emergency settings

INTER-AGENCY STANDING COMMITTEE (IASC)
2007

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These guidelines provide information to organisations and individuals on how to respond during humanitarian emergencies by highlighting eleven specific action sheets that offer practical guidance on mental health and psychosocial support. The guidelines include a matrix of interventions with guidance for emergency planning, actions to be taken in the early stages of an emergency, and comprehensive responses needed in the recovery and rehabilitation phases. This resource is gives humanitarian actors useful inter-agency, inter-sectoral guidance and tools for responding effectively in the midst of emergencies

CBR : a strategy for rehabilitation, equalization of opportunities, poverty reduction and social inclusion of people with disabilities - joint position paper 2004

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
International Labour Organization (ILO)
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
et al
2004

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In 1994 the ILO, WHO and UNESCO published the first version of this joint position paper. Since then progress has been made in several fields. Nevertheless many disabled people are still not reached or included in the fields of rehabilitation, employment or education - particularly disabled women, people with mental health problems or HIV/AIDS and poor disabled people.
This paper underlines that community-based rehabilitation is a strategy promoting multi-sectoral collaboration to reach different community groups. CBR has to be based on the principles of equal opportunities, participation and human rights.

Convention on the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and on their destruction

INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO BAN LANDMINES (ICBL)
1997

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This convention is addressed to State parties outlining the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and on their destruction. It outlines 22 articles on obligations, international cooperation and ground rules in which States Parties are bound to comply. It states victim assistance duties for care and rehabilitation and stresses the role of public conscience for the ban of anti-personnel mines

Disabilities Information Resources (DINF)

DISABILITY INFORMATION RESOURCES (DINF)

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Useful source of online documentation for the Asia Pacific region. Contains materials on community-based rehabilitation and full text versions of major policy documents, including all those relating to the Asia Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons. Easy-to-use search format. Site available in English or Japanese

Young power in social action (YPSA)

YOUNG POWER IN SOCIAL ACTION (YPSA)

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YPSA is a voluntary, non-profit, social development organization registered with a number of different departments of Bangladesh Government, focusing on youth participation in development programmes. It envisions a society without poverty where everyone’s basic needs and rights are ensured. YPSA exists to participate with the poor and vulnerable population with all commitment to bring about their own and society’s sustainable development. The website contains a number of reports and publications, as well as details on the various YPSA projects, the focus of which range from health to human rights to economic development

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