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The Role of Gender Inclusive Leadership During the COVID-19 Pandemic to Support Vulnerable Populations in Conflict Settings

Authored by: Kristen Meagher, Neha S Singh, and Preeti Patel

Categories: Conflict Prevention, Global Public Health, Humanitarian Emergencies, Violent Conflict
Sub-Categories: COVID-19, Democratization and Political Participation, Economic Recovery, Human Development, Post-Conflict Reconstruction, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), Sexual and Reproductive Health
Region: No Region
Year: 2020
Citation: Meagher, Kristen, Neha S Singh, and Preeti Patel. "The Role of Gender Inclusive Leadership During the COVID-19 Pandemic to Support Vulnerable Populations in Conflict Settings." BMJ Global Health. September 2020.

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Executive Summary

‘The real heroines in the fight against COVID-19 are women’. Significant attention has been given to women political leaders in high income settings, where it has been reported that women have led several countries’ effective national responses to COVID-19. However, little attention has been given to the role of women as leaders and decision makers in conflict settings. In conflict settings, COVID-19 is a multidimensional and existential crisis for many: a pandemic colliding with poor governance, insecurity, instability, other disease outbreaks (eg, cholera), disintegrated health and education systems, and food insecurity. These have dire consequences for vulnerable populations in conflict settings, including women and girls. Pandemics are a gendered vulnerability, with their socioeconomic impact disproportionately higher among women. In this article, we argue that cultivating and harnessing the advancements of women’s leadership globally and implementing a gender inclusive lens in pandemic preparedness and responses by including the experiences and voices of women in conflict settings is paramount. This will in turn create effective leadership models, as well as improving women and girls’ access to adequate healthcare in conflict settings.