Supporting vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 crisis

This is the second in a series of four publications by the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, covering how the measures taken by the governments of the six Eastern partner countries during the acute phase of the current pandemic have impacted vulnerable groups.

Civil society organisations in the EaP have been instrumental in helping vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic and in supporting professionals in the health sector. In some cases, they have substituted key government services and responsibilities. CSOs identified the fractions of the population who are the most vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic. This identification was based on characteristics like economic status, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability and their risk of exposure to the infection.

This paper has been elaborated in the framework of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum #PrepareEaP4Health campaign and aims to illustrate the context in which civil society is addressing the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 public health crisis.