Advancing inclusive pandemic prevention, preparedness and response for migrants, refugees and displaced populations

On 25 September 2026, on the margins of the UN General Assembly High-level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (PPPR), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the World Health Organization (WHO) convened a high-level cross-sectoral roundtable to advance the meaningful inclusion of migrants, refugees and displaced populations in global pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPPR) efforts.

Recognizing that inclusive PPPR cannot be achieved by any one sector alone, the roundtable brought together representatives from Member States, United Nations agencies, civil society, the private sector and youth networks to exchange perspectives, identify common challenges and explore opportunities for collective action.

Participants emphasized that migrants, refugees and displaced persons need to be systematically included in PPPR. This has to account for human mobility in preparedness systems and requires a shift from emergency-focused responses towards long-term, resilient and inclusive health systems that routinely address the needs of people on the move, ensure continuity of care, strengthen cross-border coordination and tackle the structural barriers that limit access to services and undermine trust.

Participants identified several priority areas for advancing inclusive PPPR.

1. Integrate preparedness into health systems. Preparedness must be built into national health systems and maintained during both routine and emergency periods, including through delivering primary health care services and continuity of care.
2. Strengthen community engagement and trust. Migrant and displaced communities should be recognized as active partners in preparedness and decision-making. Community health workers, community-based organizations, youth networks and other trusted actors play an essential role in surveillance, risk communication, community engagement and trust-building. As highlighted during the discussion, "trust travels further than trucks".
3. Address structural barriers to access. Legal status, documentation requirements, language barriers, and geographic isolation continue to limit access to health services and must be addressed to achieve equitable health outcomes.
4. Improve data and evidence. Strengthening migration- and displacement-sensitive data systems is essential to better identify vulnerabilities, understand mobility patterns and inform preparedness and response, including across borders and along migration routes.
5. Adopt an all-hazards approach. Preparedness systems should be equipped to respond to a range of health threats and intersecting crises, beyond pandemics alone.
6. Counter misinformation and harmful narratives. Stigma, misinformation and narratives portraying migrant and displaced populations as health or security threats can undermine trust, health-seeking behaviours and inclusive policymaking. Evidence-based communication and trusted community voices are critical to addressing these challenges.
7. Ensure meaningful inclusion of youth and women. Migrant women and youth should be recognized as partners and contributors whose perspectives and expertise inform policy, programmes and decision-making.
8. Strengthen multi-stakeholder collaboration. Governments, United Nations agencies, civil society organizations and the private sector should work together to align financing, policies and implementation, while avoiding fragmented approaches. This includes stronger coordination across borders to ensure continuity of care and more inclusive pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response for people on the move.

The roundtable reinforced the importance of systematically incorporating human mobility considerations into PPPR policies, plans and implementation. It also strengthened cross-sectoral dialogue and identified opportunities for continued collaboration to advance more inclusive preparedness and response at global and country levels.

Participants included representatives from the Governments of Egypt and Armenia, UNHCR, UNICEF, UN Women, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the Migration Youth and Children Platform (MYCP) and the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), alongside the co-organizing agencies.