COVID-19 and ensuring safe cities and safe public spaces for women and girls

This brief highlights emerging trends and implications for women’s and girls’ safety in public spaces and cities, recognizing the continuum of violence against women and girls in private and public settings throughout different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It provides examples of concrete action taken at the local level in partnership with governments, grassroots women and women’s rights organizations, the private sector, and other partners, including from cities participating in the UN Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces Global Flagship Initiative, and in particular from cities where the disease is widespread.

The brief includes recommendations to be considered by governments, international organizations, and women’s rights and other civil society organizations. It is a living document that complements other briefs prepared by UN Women on COVID-19 and gender and ending violence against women.

This brief is part of the “EVAW COVID-19 briefs” series.