Safer Cities

This initiative is dedicated to safeguarding the health, safety and well-being of people in QFs or isolation facilities, as well as communities at risk in Lao PDR, thereby also improving the response to Covid-19 and the containment of the virus. This is achieved through the provision of WASH facilities, physical improvements to QF and isolation facility structures, gender-responsive support and health services, and women-friendly spaces.

This project is part of the ‘Safer Cities’ joint program by UNFPA and UN-Habitat. For additional information on the UNFPA component and their contributions, please refer to their homepage.

The surge in Covid-19 cases since April 2021 has strained health facilities and quarantine centers in Lao. Over 140,000 returning Lao migrants have increased the risk of overcrowding these centers. Improved conditions and services, especially Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities, are urgently needed to ensure the safety of residents in these centers. Limited resources and concerns about disrupted health services, including sexual reproductive health, pose additional challenges. Moreover, elevated socio-economic frustrations and restricted mobility during quarantine and lockdowns have led to a rise in Gender-based violence (GBV) rates amid the pandemic. This underscores the need for gender-segregated secure quarters and the provision of essential supplies and information to ensure the well-being of women and girls.

• Project Title:Safer Cities: Interventions against the recent community outbreak of COVID-19 in Lao PDR
• Status: Completed 
• Geographic Coverage: Sayabouly, Savannakhet, Bolikhamxay, Champasak, Sekong, Saravane,
  Khammouane, Attapeu, Bokeo, Luang Prabang, and Vientiane Provinces.
• Duration: Mar 2022 – Dec 2023
• Budget for UN-Habitat component: $369,564
• Partnership: UNFPA
• Donor: Government of Japan
• Shortened Project Title: Safer Cities