ReliefWeb

1.0 Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many facets of life. It has coerced people to make tough choices and adjust in very profound ways. This includes how works is organized and gets done and Vulnerability Assessments are no exception. Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States (MS) have become dependent on the Regional Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis (RVAA) System for information to make decisions on how to respond to save lives and protect livelihoods in the face of multiple shocks and stressors. This document provides some general guidance on elements MS could consider in adjusting and refining their assessment approaches and processes in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the spirit of this guidance that MS consider the pandemic not only as a challenge, but also a stimulus for innovating the manner with which vulnerability assessments could be carried out. There is, indeed, an opportunity here to re-image all aspects of the vulnerability assessment processes in ways that address the immediate information needs for the decision makers without abandoning or undermining the on-going quest for a strengthened RVAA system. Hence this document aims to stoke MS-led creativity towards development of more nimble, cost-effective and sustainable vulnerability assessment approaches, methods and tools. These processes must, necessarily, build on the existing foundations and available country-specific opportunities. The guidance note recognizes and seeks to complement other existing vulnerability and analysis guidance by the SADC Regional Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis (RVAA) Programme and it’s cooperating partners.