QUALITY AND STANDARDS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is primarily a global health crisis, but it also has far-reaching economic consequences. Worldwide, it is already disrupting millions of people’s livelihoods, with disproportionate impact on the poor, thereby jeopardizing the successful achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.

Quality and standards play a particularly important role in mitigating the negative effects of the outbreak. Adequate Quality Infrastructure ensures the identification and dissemination of relevant standards, accurate measurement (metrology) and provides attestation (accreditation) of reliable test results. Standards, in particular, support business continuity, risk and emergency management. They further ensure that goods produced in response of COVID-19 (respiratory devices, protective masks, gloves, etc.) are fit-for-purpose while workers in production facilities are kept safe.

Against this background, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has conducted an initial assessment of the emerging challenges due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the role of quality and standards in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

For more information please see the flyer.

Contact: TII [at] unido.org (T)II [at] unido.org