Getting Beyond Zero
From October 2014 to March 2015, UNDP’s strategic approach to the Ebola response was aligned to the United Nations’ 5 Strategic Objectives and 13 Mission Critical Actions to combat Ebola. In close partnership with UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), the United Nations Development System, governments of the three most-affected countries and other development agencies, UNDP followed a two-track approach to support and achieve the following:
1. Stopping the epidemic
2. Ensuring rapid and sustainable recovery
To achieve this, UNDP’s strategic approach to the Ebola response programme focused on three components, implemented as a package. In line with UNMEER’s 30-60-90-day operational plan as well as national development and recovery plans developed by affected countries, the strategy focused on the following three components:
1. Strengthening governments’ capacities to coordinate early recovery interventions and timely delivery of recovery programmes in order to support a rapid return to sustainable development pathways
2. Strengthening the coordination and delivery of essential health and other basic services
3. Improving prevention, preparedness and response mechanisms through engagement with communities, with a particular focus on vulnerable and at-risk groups such as women and youth.
These three components have been key to UNDP’s Ebola response and resilience in the context of stopping the epidemic and embarking on sustainable recovery.