UN Guyana Annual Results Report 2021

Agencies, Funds and Programmes of the UN System mobilized behind national efforts in 2021 to recover from Covid-19 and get back on track to achieve the SDGs. In partnership with Government and other national institutions the UN System supported recovery drives in health and education. Through COVAX, the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history, WHO/PAHO helped deliver more than 300,000 vaccines to Guyana. More than 170,000 children were able to continue learning through the Covid-19 lockdowns, thanks in part to UNICEF’s work with the national education system.

Just as Guyana was turning the tide against COVID, it suffered heavy rains and flooding. They impacted every administrative region and they were economically disastrous for Guyana’s farmers, fishers and miners. As this Report shows, UN agencies re-directed their work to support the post- disaster assistance provided by the government. WFP introduced a new program to bolster social protection, whilst FAO and UN Women complemented the national assistance programs with targeted cash grants and agricultural inputs to women farmers. Even when the floods receded, disruptions to the global supply chain continued, and food prices kept rising. These trends demonstrated the prescience of Guyana’s determination to transform food systems nationally and in the Caribbean: to support this FAO was able to support a national dialogue on food systems in Guyana as part of the 2021 international Food Systems Summit.

In 2021 also, we worked with national authorities in helping Guyana uphold its human rights treaty obligations, including by protecting migrants and refugees. Gender-based violence is arguably the most egregious violation of rights. In 2021 UN agencies and the Government took decisive ownership of actions towards ending this scourge and laying the groundwork for integrated response and services for survivors, made possible by the largest global investment in women’s rights – the EU-funded Spotlight initiative.

For a snapshot of our 2021 results visit the Results Report dedicated website.