Gender-sensitive responses needed to COVID-19 in Africa

Gender inequalities in access to and control over productive resources, services, and economic opportunities often cause women to bear a disproportionate burden of shocks. This has also been true throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, where women and girls, especially in rural and vulnerable contexts, have been more exposed to threats such as food insecurity, deprivation of education and consequently to early marriage. Governments, development agencies and civil society organisations (CSOs) face the challenge of developing and implementing gender-sensitive policies and programmes that respond to such impacts.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recently joined efforts with the CGIAR GENDER Platform and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) to explore gender-differentiated impacts of COVID-19 in the African region through a virtual policy dialogue. Stakeholders shared their experience and recommendations for the development of gender-sensitive programming and policymaking for building back better from COVID-19.