Resources to Support Inclusive and Equitable COVID-19 Response #2

The COVID-19 pandemic has reverberated across the world, laying bare power inequalities and threatening to set back decades of gains on gender equality and social inclusion. The pandemic has been especially devastating for marginalized populations around the world who face disproportionate hardship in the face of COVID-19. This is why gender equality and social inclusion is critical for international development and humanitarian response organizations as they work on adapting program responses and staff wellness initiatives.  

Members of the Gender Practitioners Collaborative (GPC) and the Endorsers’ Circle have been collecting data as well as developing and sharing resources to support inclusive and equitable design, programming, and implementation for COVID response and recovery efforts.  

This post is the second in a series of “round ups,” in which we will periodically share a summary of recently published resources from GPC and Endorsers Circle Members. Please continue to follow us for updates!  

The Asia Foundation 

The Asia Foundation has published several blog posts and webinars addressing the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on women and girls, including the need to address gender-based violence. 

International Rescue Committee (IRC) 

The International Rescue Committee has published several technical guidance documents to guide humanitarian programming across various sectors, to overcome the digital gender gap with the increase in remote service delivery, support humanitarian staff in a gender-sensitive manner, a global gender analysis in partnership with CARE and a press release highlighting the increase in barriers to women accessing GBV services. 

Jhpiego 

Jhpiego developed operational guidance that synthesizes global recommendations, current best evidence and critical resources to help health care providers, managers and leaders to maintain essential health services, including for family planning, gender-based violence, and maternal health, during and after the pandemic, and ensure families receive the care and treatment they need and deserve. 

Myra Betron, Director of Gender at Jhpiego, also co-authored a commentary in the journal Global Public Health, discussing important gender determinants to both men’s and women’s vulnerabilities to COVID-19 and calling on the global health community to unpack and address these early in the COVID-19 pandemic response. 

Save the Children 

Save the Children has developed various organizational-level technical initiatives to address gender and social inclusion including during COVID response: 

Yeva Avakyan, Associate Vice President of Gender Equality at Save the Children, also co-authored an article in the journal Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters, that discusses how emphasizing the needs of “women and girls” doesn’t always focus on the systemic nature of inequality and marginalization and argues for a stronger understanding of discriminatory systems and power hierarchies that better inform programming and advocacy. 

Please check out these great resources and check back for future updates, as we will share additional guidance and information about how our members and endorsers are promoting gender and social inclusion as part of COVID-19 response. 

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