Adapting Services to Urban Settings in India in Response to COVID-19

This report looked at the operations of the United Nations Children’s Fund Regional Office of South Asia (UNICEF ROSA) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune, relating to child survival and development (CSD). UNICEF ROSA adapted its strategy and learned to work within existing systems and established new partnerships within the social infrastructure of informal settlements. High COVID-19 case loads in urban areas have placed additional strain on informal settlements that already lack access to basic services such as affordable water, sanitation and health facilities. Additionally, social determinants of health have also led to higher rates of transmission, particularly amongst marginalized populations.

Research included a desk review and interviews conducted with UNICEF partner organisations and local unaffiliated CSOs working in urban informal settlements in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune. The analysis showed that opportunities exist for UNICEF to respond to COVID-19 in urban informal settlements. Findings in the report were organized into the following categories: 1. Collaboration; 2. Lockdowns; 3. Programming Response; and 4. Residual Impacts. Based upon these findings, the report outlined eight recommendations: 1. Advocate for government preparedness and disaster risk reduction; 2. Support a process to strengthen accountability to health system users; 3. Support migrants’ access to critical resources; 4. Ensure more technical support to nonprofits and CSOs; 5. Provide more support for the secondary effects of the pandemic; 6. Build capacity to mobilize funds in a timely manner; 7. Use of the Socio-Ecological Model to reinforce appropriate COVID-19 services and prevention behaviours; 8. Continue to prioritize collaboration via formal and informal channels and 9. Develop longer-term projects for greater impact.