Press Release: “Women and girls are left behind in COVID-19 response” – warn women’s organizations
On April 29, 2020, 128 women’s organizations and activists from 17 countries and Kosovo published a press release. It called upon governments and development partners to ensure effective dialogue with civil society to put women’s needs at the centre of COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery efforts. The press release comes after UN Women initiated rapid consultations […]
On the frontline of war, Yemeni women are building peace
An article written by Kira Walker for Equal Times discusses Yemeni women’s vital role as peacebuilders in the country. Below are some key points. Muna Luqman is a peace activist and founder of Food4Humanity, a women-led civil society organization that provides emergency relief, training and livelihood programmes; She instigated a mediation process in Al-Haymatain, a […]
COVID-19 and Young Girls: Expect Increases in Child Marriage and Teen Pregnancy
An article written by Foluyinka Fakoya discusses the impact of COVID-19 on young girls. Some of the impacts include: Increased risk of sexual exploitation and abuse Increased risk of teenage pregnancy Increase in child marriages Read the full article here.
Southern Africa: Women and Girls Main Victims of Domestic and Gender Violence – SADC Secretariat
This article reports on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) statement relating to the rise of domestic violence and gender violence in Southern Africa due to lockdown measures implemented to curb the spread of COVID-19. As part of the statement, HE Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax stresses that individual governments should find ways to provide “flexible and […]
A message from the AU Special Envoy on Women, Peace & Security
The Office of the Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Women, Peace and Security released a special statement from Madame Bineta Diop about COVID-19 and its effects on women and girls in Africa. Madame Diop outlines four areas of concern which include: Increased rates of domestic violence The greater risk […]
What we learnt from analysing twenty years of Women, Peace and Security National Action Plans
A blog post written by Caitlin Hamilton, Nyibeny Naam, and Laura J. Shepherd for the London School of Economic’s WPS Centre discusses the implementation of WPS-related National Action Plans. Their full research and analysis can be found in their report titled, Twenty Years of Women, Peace and Security National Action Plans: Analysis and Lessons Learned. The blog […]
Reframing Women’s Roles in Peace Processes: Beyond the Negotiating Table
A policy brief written by Anjali Dayal and Agathe Christien and published in February 2020, provides a systematic review of women’s extensive and varied involvement in informal peace processes. Some important key findings include: Women advocate for peace in a variety of different ways, even when formal negotiations are closed to them, including meaningful advocacy […]
What do countries with the best coronavirus responses have in common? Women leaders
An article by Avivah Wittenberg-Cox for Forbes examines the response of women leaders around the world to the COVID-19 pandemic. From Germany, Taiwan, New Zealand, Iceland, Finland, to Norway, women leaders around the world have shown an effective and swift response to the pandemic. Read the article here.
Call to action: Now and the future, COVID-19 and gender equality, global peace and security
The NGO Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS UK) has released a paper with a call to action to address the deeply gendered impacts of COVID-19. Below is a summary of the paper found on the website: This paper sets out the already immediate and long-term impacts of COVID-19 with recommendation to the international […]
Webinar: A gender perspective on the growing humanitarian crisis
Georgetown University’s Institute for Women, Peace and Security, held a webinar on April 8, 2020, with leading experts in the field to discuss the urgent need for a gender-responsive approach to COVID-19 and offer strategies for effectively mitigating the pandemic’s impact. The speakers were: Rt Hon David Miliband: President and CEO, International Rescue Committee Ms. […]