Spotlight on gender, COVID-19 and the SDGs: Will the pandemic derail hard-won progress on gender equality?

Date: Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Health emergencies such as COVID-19, and the response to them, can exacerbate gender inequality and derail hard-won progress not only on SDG 3 but on all the SDGs. This paper draws insights from emerging data and shines a spotlight on the long-term impact of the crisis on the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The paper concludes by outlining policy priorities drawn from the evidence presented.

Decision tree: Data collection on violence against women and COVID-19

Date: Wednesday, July 1, 2020

This decision tree guides data collectors through the various considerations, viable options, and alternative data sources for obtaining information without jeopardizing participants’ safety or the data’s integrity. In doing so, it aims to identify data sources and methodologies that are useful for strengthening services and referral pathways for women experiencing violence during COVID-19.

COVID-19 and the care economy: Immediate action and structural transformation for a gender-responsive recovery

Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2020

This brief presents emerging evidence on the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on the care economy. It highlights key measures needed to address the increase in unpaid care work as a result of the pandemic, ensure adequate compensation and decent working conditions for paid care workers, and enable the participation of paid and unpaid caregivers in the policy decisions that affect them.

Addressing the economic fallout of COVID-19: Pathways and policy options for a gender-responsive recovery

Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2020

This brief presents emerging evidence of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on women’s economic empowerment. It considers the immediate gendered economic impacts, including widening socioeconomic divides and shifting national and international priorities for the allocation of resources, as well as the long-term implications for women’s employment and livelihoods.

COVID-19 and women’s leadership: From an effective response to building back better

Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2020

This brief shines a light on the critical role of women’s leadership in responding to COVID-19 and preparing for a more equitable recovery. In addition to considering the pandemic’s immediate impacts on women’s political participation, the brief demonstrates the opportunity to “build back better” by including and supporting women, and the organizations and networks that represent them, in the decision-making processes that will ultimately shape the post-pandemic future.

COVID-19 and violence against women and girls: Addressing the shadow pandemic

Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2020

This brief presents emerging evidence of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on violence against women and girls (VAWG). The brief advocates for measures that prevent and respond to VAWG in the current circumstances of lockdown as well as for investments that ensure the safety of women and girls in longer-term recovery plans.

Meeting basic needs of women and girls with disabilities during COVID-19

Date: Thursday, June 25, 2020

The present brief discusses the adverse impact of COVID-19 in the ability of women, girls, transgender and gender non-conforming persons with disabilities in meeting basic needs and provides recommendation to stakeholders on how to mitigate adverse effects of pre-existing inequalities they face, including on how to engage with networks and organizations as active agents in the process of “building back”.

A primer for parliamentary action: Gender-sensitive responses to COVID-19

Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2020

This primer highlights practical ways Members of Parliament (MPs) and parliamentary staff can take action to ensure COVID-19 response and recovery decision-making addresses women’s needs.

IANWGE compendium on integrating gender considerations in the response to COVID-19: Key messages and actions from UN entities

Date: Monday, June 15, 2020

The United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality (IANWGE), chaired by the Executive Director of UN Women, has responded to the call of the Secretary-General for coordinated action during the COVID-19 pandemic. This compendium captures key messages and efforts of UN entities as they address the gender dimensions of the pandemic, aligned with the five pillars of the UN framework for the immediate socioeconomic response to COVID-19.

The COVID-19 shadow pandemic: Domestic violence in the world of work: A call to action for the private sector

Date: Tuesday, June 9, 2020

This brief explains how companies are responding to the problem of domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides recommendations on the measures that could be taken.

Regular resources enable a flexible and fast response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2020

This brief explores how regular resources have enabled a swift reaction to the COVID-19 crisis, and how this has facilitated effective engagement with, and support to, governments, civil society, and the private sector, making a difference on the ground and bringing the needs of women and girls to the centre of the response.

UN Women’s response to COVID-19

Date: Tuesday, June 2, 2020

UN Women’s response to COVID-19 includes policy advice and programmatic interventions along five priority areas: Gender-based violence, including domestic violence, is mitigated and reduced; social protection and economic stimulus packages serve women and girls; people support and practice the equal sharing of the burden of care; women and girls lead and participate in COVID-19 response planning and decision-making; and data and coordination mechanisms include gender perspectives.

Justice for women amidst COVID-19

Date: Thursday, May 21, 2020

This rapid assessment examines how the impacts of COVID-19 are threatening women’s ability to access justice. The assessment reflects challenges faced by women and girls of diverse backgrounds and socio-economic groups, including those experiencing overlapping disadvantages and those facing amplified challenges in humanitarian settings. Cross-regional and local experiences are highlighted, and quantitative data is utilized where available.

Impact of COVID-19 on violence against women and girls and service provision: UN Women rapid assessment and findings

Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2020

This report synthesises information from a rapid assessment to understand the impact of COVID-19 on violence against women and girls and service provision. The synthesis sheds light on the impact of COVID-19 on the availability of and accessibility to services for women and girls who experience violence, and measures taken by service providers to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls during the pandemic.

Pocket tool for managing evaluation during the COVID-19 pandemic

Date: Friday, May 15, 2020

This publication provides practical guidelines for gender-responsive evaluation management and data collection, structured around the four main evaluation phases. It contains tips and good practices to aid evaluation teams in determining the best course of action for the gender-responsive evaluation or research exercise in the context of COVID-19, while keeping stakeholders engaged and upholding relevant ethical and data protection protocols.

Prevention: Violence against women and girls and COVID-19

Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2020

This brief provides background information on the root causes and risk factors that explain why violence against women occurs in the first place. It highlights how the context of COVID-19 is exacerbating those factors and the impact it is having on rates of violence against women and the ability to undertake evidence-based prevention work in the current context. It provides indicative interventions that can be undertaken during social distancing.

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

Date: Monday, May 4, 2020

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.

Online and ICT-facilitated violence against women and girls during COVID-19

Date: Thursday, April 30, 2020

This brief highlights emerging trends and impacts of COVID-19 on online and ICT-facilitated violence against women and girls (VAWG). It provides examples of strategies put in place to prevent and respond to online/ICT-facilitated VAWG and makes recommendations on how different actors can best address this issue. It is a living document that draws upon the knowledge and experience of a wide range of experts.

COVID-19 and essential services provision for survivors of violence against women and girls

Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2020

This brief explores the implications for the provision of essential services for women and girls who have experienced violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides recommendations for governments, civil society, and international organizations that are seeking to improve the quality of and access to coordinated health, police and justice, and social services for all women and girls during the crisis and provides examples of promising practices to date.

Guidance note: Addressing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on women migrant workers

Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2020

This guidance note highlights the emerging impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on women migrant workers, focusing on the key challenges and risks they face. It makes recommendations in the context of the economic and social response and recovery packages that governments are putting forward, supported by examples of existing good practices from around the world.