Women and girls are heavily affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Women tend to have the most precarious and less well-paid jobs, putting them more at risk of income loss and economic hardship. Women are on the frontline as they represent 70% of the health and social workforce. Quarantine measures imposed as a response to the pandemic are exacerbating women’s and girls’ caretaking responsibilities due to traditional gender roles. Confinement also puts women and girls at heightened risk of domestic and sexual violence, including early and unintended pregnancy and early and forced marriage, with little or no access to essential protection services and social networks.
Challenges with accessing sexual and reproductive health services – including contraception, safe abortion, maternal healthcare and HIV medications – and the scaling down of some health services, including community-based services, further exacerbate the risks to girls’ and women’s health and lives. SRHR services are essential, emergency and potentially life-saving services and must continue to be provided during the crisis.
Authorities must recognise that the outbreak affects women and girls disproportionately and that if adequate measures are not taken, there is a serious risk of losing the progress made over women’s and girls’ rights. All responses to the crisis must adopt an intersectional and gender-sensitive response to the crisis and women and girls must be part of all decision-making processes to ensure their perspectives are heard and needs are met.
Amnesty International
- 2 June 2020 Blog: Ireland: “There is no safety net” – what lockdown is like for sex workers
- 2 June 2020 Joint press release: Americas: Authorities must protect women who engage in sex work from the impact of COVID-19
Center for Reproductive Rights
- 29 April 2020 Center Lawsuits to Protect Abortion Access During the COVID-19 Pandemic Are Working
- 25 April 2020 Appellate Court Allows Abortion Services to Continue in Tennessee During Pandemic
- 21 April 2020 How State COVID-19 Orders Can Impact Abortion Access
- 21 April 2020 COVID-19 Underscores the Nonessential Nature of Abortion Restrictions
- 14 April 2020 [Joint civil society statement: Polish Parliament Must Reject Regressive Proposals on Sexual and Reproductive Rights
- 9 April 2020 News in brief on COVID-19& SRHR in Europe
- 8 April 2020 [Joint civil society statement: European governments must ensure safe and timely access to abortion care during the COVID-19 pandemic
- 3 April 2020 Abortion is Essential Healthcare
End FGM European Network
- 29 May 2020 – End FGM EU – COVID-19 and FGM: An End FGM EU survey on the pandemic impact on women, girls and organisation
- 4 May 2020 – End FGM EU – Adapting in emergencies: A promising practice for ending FGM in Kenya
- 2 April 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic putting girls at high risk of FGM in Kenya
- 30 March 2020 Covid-19 Update
- 17 March 2020 Covid-19 update: Gender ABC project
EuroMed Rights
- 02 June 2020 TUNISIA: PANDEMIC INCREASES VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
- 30 April 2020 NO LOCKDOWN FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: WHAT MEASURES ARE BEING TAKEN?
EurAc
- 27 May 2020 – EurAc EN – Press release: COVID-19 in the Great Lakes region: leaving no one behind
- 27 May 2020 – EurAc FR – Press release: La riposte face au COVID-19 dans la région des Grands Lacs ne doit laisser personne pour compte
- 27 May 2020 – EurAc Report EN only: The COVID-19 response should leave no one behind: the pandemic’s implications in the Great Lakes region
FIDH
- 22 April 2020 (Joint Statement) European governments must ensure safe and timely access to abortion care during the COVID-19 pandemic
International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)
- 23 April 2020 Gender Based Violence during the COVID-19 Pandemic and economic, social and cultural rights
- 14 April 2020 Amid COVID-19 crisis, Polish parliament must reject regressive proposals on sexual and reproductive rights
- 9 April 2020 European governments must ensure safe and timely access to abortion care during the COVID-19 pandemic
- 7 April 2020 South Africa: authorities must work urgently to curb gender-based violence under lockdown
- 6 April 2020 State measures to address COVID-19 must be gender responsive
IPPF European Network
- 28 May 2020 Recommendations on EU development policy, in partnership with Countdown 2030 – How can the European Union protect sexual and reproductive health and rights in COVID-19 times?
- 13 May 2020 Recommendations to the EU and Member States on How to address the impact of COVID-19 on women, girls and vulnerable groups and their sexual and reproductive safety
- 7 May 2020 – IPPF EN, in partnership with Amnesty International and Women’s Links Worldwide – A Guide for Europe: Protecting the rights of women and girls in times of COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath
- 22 April 2020 – IPPF EN, in partnership with EPF – “Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights during the COVID-19 pandemic”
- 14 April 2020 – IPPF EN – Press release: Polish ruling party exploits the current health crisis to undermine women and young people’s safety – and Joint civil society statement Polish Parliament Must Reject Regressive Proposals on Sexual and Reproductive Rights
- 7 April 2020 – Joint civil society statement: European governments must ensure safe and timely access to abortion care during the COVID-19 pandemic
HRW
Plan International
- regularly updated Latest news on girls, young women and the COVID-19 pandemic
- regularly updated How will Plan International support girls, young women and vulnerable groups?
- 1 June 2020 We must protect girls and women from the lasting economic impacts of Covid-19
- 27 May 2020 Shadow Pandemic Unfolding as Girls’ Health, Rights and Freedoms Erode
- 19 May 2020 COVID-19 response at EU level
- 6 May 2020 Time for Change: COVID-19 Connectivity and Equality
- 30 April 2020 Long Lasting Consequences of COVID-19 for Girls will be Abuse and Hunger