Protecting the Lives and Livelihoods of Women and Girls During the COVID-19 Pandemic

About the Event

The COVID-19 pandemic will likely exacerbate gender inequalities in economic opportunities across Sub-Saharan Africa. For example, women-owned firms are primarily concentrated in informal or low-paying sectors, and thus lack basic formal social protections that could provide a buffer against economic distress. Often, women farmers have lower levels of access to productive inputs and information than men. In times of crisis, their farm productivity and food security will likely be hit hard. School closures and health services interruptions could interrupt the trajectories of adolescent girls at a critical life juncture. Evidence from the World Bank and other promising research points to mechanisms that can help protect the lives and livelihoods of women and girls in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this webinar, the World Bank’s Africa Gender Innovation Lab will discuss the implications of COVID-19 on women’s economic opportunities and identify interventions that can help to support women through the emergency response and economic recovery of the pandemic.