Are any organizations using technology to protect vulnerable children and women during the pandemic?

Yes! Organizations like UNICEF and Microsoft Corp. are continuously making an effort to use technology in such a way that it could help the people and serve them to a great extent during these unprecedented times. 

Recently they have launched a new version of Primero: open-source case management web application that helps social service providers coordinate critical support to vulnerable children and women.

The new version is called Primero X.

Over the past 12 months, UNICEF and Microsoft have been working together to enhance Primero. Thus, allow governments and other partners to deploy the application more quickly in humanitarian crises; support usage in offline and online settings from any device; improve the quality and consistency of care to vulnerable groups, and protect the privacy of at-risk children.

Critical interventions include providing access to life-saving services, such as family reunification and tracing. While still adhering to physical distancing and movement restrictions due to COVID-19.

The launch of Primero X comes amid an increase in the rates of domestic and gender-based violence linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Millions of children are now more vulnerable to violence, abuse and neglect due to the socioeconomic consequences of the intensifying pandemic. There are 1.8 billion children in the 104 countries where violence prevention and response services have been disrupted due to COVID-19. Schools are shuttered, parents and caregivers are losing jobs, and families are under increasing financial strain.Read more