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“The idea that all but one UN agency has failed to recognize the double, triple, quadruple inequalities that women and girls face in emergency situations told me that for all the rhetoric we have seen over the last five, 10, 15 years, we are miles away from getting the kind of implementation and prioritization that ... women’s protection and empowerment deserve. “ David Miliband, CEO International Rescue Committee
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UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty & Human Rights:
https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Poverty/Pages/SRExtremePovertyIndex.aspx
A woman buys food from a vendor in Jodhpur, India. Stockpexel/Shutterstock
The COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on movement to control the spread of infection are having profound impacts on the income and daily lives of people in low- and middle-income countries, particularly the poor.. The authors of this article describe how the current crisis is also affecting gender relations, and why attention to gender in implementing expanded social protection programs is critical. They provide specific advice and propose actions to minimize harm during the crisis response period—and to ensure that longer-term gains in gender equity and empowerment can be maintained and built-upon post-crisis.
BY MELISSA HIDROBO, NEHA KUMAR, TIA PALERMO, AMBER PETERMAN & SHALINI ROY
April 28, 2020 - Many governments are using social protection programs to respond to the economic crisis and health risk induced by COVID-19. As of April 17, 133 countries had adapted or introduced 564 social protection initiatives, according to the World Bank. With the focus on rapid assistance, gender considerations have understandably not been at the forefront of these efforts. A rapid assessment of initial COVID-19 social protection responses indicates that only 11% show some (albeit limited) gender-sensitivity.
This is unsurprising—most existing social protection programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are either gender-blind or neutral at best—but it is worrying. The COVID-19 crisis has the potential to widen gender inequalities, including those related to loss of livelihoods, reproductive health risks, disproportionate burden of care, and violence against women and children. Social protection that does not take gender into account can reinforce these inequalities.
General guidelines for COVID-19 social protection responses are available, but how can governments address gender inequalities? Designing gender-sensitive programming is not always straightforward, but evidence suggests simple design and implementation adaptations can make programming more gender-sensitive. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, in a new brief summarized below, we provide key lessons, considerations, and guidance across five areas.
By Carolina Rivera, Policy Analyst, HDRO
April 2, 2020 - Gender inequalities are rooted in traditional discriminatory social norms and power imbalances that are perpetuated throughout the life cycle and passed from one generation to another. These norms restrict women’s behaviour and the prospects of reaching their full potential at home, at work and in civic life. According to the recent Gender Social Norms Index from the Human Development Report Office of UNDP, nine out of ten people around the globe are biased against gender equality. And attitudes towards equality are becoming less supportive in some countries over time.
Is there bias against equality? Are we seeing a backlash across countries?
While there has been some progress on gender equality in basic areas that support women’s rights, such as enrolment in primary education, participation in the economy or the ability to vote, women have taken to the streets in recent years to voice their continuing social discontent. The #MeToo movement has revealed abuse all around the world, while the #IWillGoOut movement has demanded equal rights for women in public spaces in India. In Latin America, the #NiUnaMenos movement has shed light on femicide and violence against women from Argentina to Mexico. Women’s voices are shouting in unison to demand gender equality.
