Regional Highlights

• All countries in the region, except Turkmenistan, have officially reported COVID-19 cases. Armenia, Moldova and Belarus have been the most affected relative to their population size, with more than 14,700 confirmed cases per million population in Armenia. Türkiye has been the most affected country in absolute numbers, making up more than 30% of reported cases in the region since the beginning of the pandemic. 
• UNFPA continues to mobilise partners for the COVID-19 response by looking at the situation from an immediate and long-term perspective, creating partnerships that help UNFPA adapt health and social programmes.
• UNFPA trained SRH service providers, in eight countries, in areas such as the implementation of COVID-19-related guidelines, maternal health, family planning, cervical cancer prevention, and  services for adolescents and young people. 
• During the Samarkand Human Rights Web-Forum in Uzbekistan, UNFPA Regional Director for EECA stressed the need to prioritize young people having access to the education, tools, services and choices necessary for them to reach their full potential as we seek to build back better in the post COVID-19 era.
• UNFPA supports the development of national strategies to ensure the prevention of GBV and  the continuity and accessibility of a multi-sectoral GBV services for women and adolescent girls.
• The regional hotline supported by UNFPA and operated by the Eurasian Women’s Network on AIDS has helped 88 people living with HIV/AIDS  to receive counselling support and life-saving antiretroviral treatment medications while stuck in 14 countries, other than their home country, due to COVID-19 travel-related restrictions.