In Focus: Gender equality matters in COVID-19 response

Publish Date: Mar 20, 2020

New Jersey’s first COVID-19 Community-Based Testing Site opened on March 20, 2020, at Bergen Community College in Paramus. Photo: Edwin J. Torres for the New Jersey Governor’s Office

The COVID-19 pandemic is not just a health issue. It is a profound shock to our societies and economies, and women are at the heart of care and response efforts underway.

As frontline responders, health professionals, community volunteers, transport and logistics managers, scientists and more, women are making critical contributions to address the outbreak every day.

The majority of caregivers, at home and in our communities, are also women.

Additionally, they are at increased risk of infection and loss of livelihood, and existing trends point to less access to sexual and reproductive health and rise in domestic violence during crisis.

UN Women is bringing up-to-date information and analysis on how and why gender matters in COVID-19 response.

Find all articles, speeches, videos, social media assets and other useful materials here: https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/in-focus-gender-equality-in-covid-19-response

Download the COVID19 and Gender Report (March 2020) here: - https://www.unstereotypealliance.org/en/resources/research/covid-19-and-gender-report