Women from global civil-society organizations recently joined a virtual town hall discussion with António Guterres, the United Nations secretary-general, amid fears the pandemic has reversed decades of progress in gender equality and women’s rights.
“The pandemic has exposed the extent of its impact on physical and mental health, education and labour force participation,” said Guterres. “[It’s] exposing and exacerbating the considerable hurdles women face in achieving their rights and fulfilling their potential.”
Women are being kept in close quarters with their abusers and girls are being kept home, out of school, and facing a greater risk for child marriage without the usual systems in place to keep them safe.
Guterres said we must make gender equality a priority by:
- putting women at the centre of the rebuild and recovery following COVID-19
- giving women access to cash transfers, loans and credit to provide support during job loss
- devising an economic reset that includes everyone
- building partnerships between the private sector, academia and civil society to make a greater impact
At Children Believe, we’re working with our partners globally to provide cash transfers and food rations while reinforcing protection systems to keep women and children safe and provide psycho-social care.
To learn more about our work during this time, visit /covid-19.