The United Nations Department of Global Communications (DGC) promotes global awareness and understanding of the work of the United Nations 30 April 2020 — From misinformation about the use of disinfectants to combat the coronavirus to false claims that the virus can spread through radio waves and mobile networks unreliable information is hurting the global effort to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic. By dispelling rumours the United Nations is working to spread accurate information and messages of hope and solidarity the United Nations is launching a new COVID-19 Communications Response Initiative based on science solutions and solidarity to fight misinformation and the proliferation of fake news have the potential to weaken the national and global response to the virus bolster nativist narratives and provide opportunities for those who may seek to exploit this moment to deepen social divisions,” said Melissa Fleming Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications “All this threatens to undermine the international cooperation urgently needed to deal with the impacts of this crisis.” A rapid response team is being formed to help share facts and science to overcome a surge of misinformation Here are some examples of how the United Nations is tackling the spread of misinformation Producing and disseminating facts and accurate information The World Health Organization (WHO), which is at the forefront of the battle against the pandemic, is transmitting authoritative information based on science while also seeking to counter myths Due to the high demand for timely and trustworthy information about COVID-19, WHO has established the Information Network for Epidemics (EPI-WIN) that unites technical and social media teams working closely to track and respond to misinformation myths and rumours and provide tailored information and evidence for action hard-to-reach areas with limited access to digital information United Nations country teams and missions on the ground are using all available channels, such as radio and social media to dispel rumours and counter misinformation, while the Organization's 59 UN Information Centres are also taking the lead in fighting disinformation in local languages. Partnering with WhatsApp and Facebook, WHO launched dedicated messaging services in several languages to share critical guidance on COVID-19. This easy-to-use messaging service could reach up to 2 billion people and allows WHO to get the facts directly into people’s hands WHO also partnered with Rakuten Viber to launch a new interactive chatbot which aims to get accurate information about COVID-19 to people in multiple languages This partnership gives WHO the potential to reach over 1 billion people in their local language directly through their mobile phones WHO and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), with support from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), are calling on all telecommunication companies worldwide to join their initiative to help unleash the power of communication technology to save lives from COVID-19 through text messages An estimated 3.6 billion people remain offline where an average of just two out of every ten people are online. These text messages will reach billions of people who are not able to connect to the internet for information The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has published two policy briefs that assess the COVID-19 ‘disinfodemic’ of falsehoods, fabrications and misinformation. The policy briefs were supported by the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) which is assisting journalists working on the frontlines of the “disinfodemic” around the world trustworthy and verifiable public health information reaches communities everywhere. The Bureau of UNESCO’s International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) has approved several initiatives in Africa the coronavirus crisis can only aggravate an already challenging environment for the media particularly for community media which often lack capacity and resources but which service the most vulnerable communities,” said UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information The United Nations works closely with thousands of civil society organizations around the world that are associated with the UN Department of Global Communications (DGC) and affiliated with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Together with WHO, DGC also launched a global civil society survey about COVID-19 to learn what misinformation stigma and myths are circulating around the world and threatening the global response “It is imperative for the UN to continue to benefit from the expertise experience and partnership of civil society worldwide Chief of DGC’s Civil Society and Advocacy Unit. “WHO already has excellent networks and we hope this additional information will allow the UN at large to communicate as effectively as possible flatten the curve and save lives and livelihoods.” The survey is also an opportunity for NGOs to play a part in actively sharing accurate information that they can find on http://www.who.int and https://www.un.org/coronavirus recently spoke out against restrictive measures imposed by several States against the independent media as well as the arrest and intimidation of journalists saying the free flow information was vital in fighting COVID-19 “Some States have used the outbreak of the new coronavirus as a pretext to restrict information and stifle criticism,” Bachelet said but we have never depended on it more than we do during this pandemic when so many people are isolated and fearing for their health and livelihoods.” “Credible, accurate reporting is a lifeline for all of us,” said the UN human rights chief who also noted that some political leaders had directed statements towards journalists and media workers that created a hostile environment and compromised their safety and ability to do their work we're not doing this work to make ourselves feel better That sort of conventional notion of what a do-gooder is We're doing this work because we are totally convinced that it's not necessary in today's wealthy world for so many people to be experiencing discomfort for so many people to be experiencing hardship for so many people to have their lives and their livelihoods imperiled.” David Nabarro has dedicated his life to global health After a long career that’s taken him from the horrors of war torn Iraq to the devastating aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami he is still spurred to action by the tremendous inequalities in global access to medical care “The thing that keeps me awake most at night is the rampant inequities in our world…We see an awful lot of needless suffering.” returns to the stage after a long absence during the COVID-19 pandemic It counts 250 children and teenagers from the favela as its performers The ballet group provides social support in a community where poverty hunger and teen pregnancy are constant issues The pandemic has put many people to the test Coronavirus has waged war not only against people's lives and well-being but has also spawned countless hoaxes and scientific falsehoods.