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Voices of Women’s Organizations on COVID-19: April 2020 Sub-regional Consultations

Authored by: United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women

Categories: Global Public Health
Sub-Categories: COVID-19, Economic Participation, Human Development, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV)
Region: Europe and Eurasia
Year: 2020
Citation: “Voices of Women’s Organizations on COVID-19: April 2020 Sub-Regional Consultations.” United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, 2020.

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Executive Summary

Women’s organizations across Eastern Europe and Central Asia urged governments and development partners to recognize the unique and vital needs of women and girls in pandemic response and recovery efforts. Activists warned the international community that the world risks a rollback in women’s rights if necessary efforts are not urgently undertaken. To bring women’s views and solutions to the forefront of discussions and decisions on COVID-19 response, UN Women initiated rapid consultations across the Europe and Central Asia region. Three sessions were held in early April 2020 in the Central Asia, Eastern Partnership and Western Balkans and Turkey sub-regions with 128 participants. Participants included women’s organizations and activists already working on the front lines of COVID-19 response. Each brought their own unique perspective from working with diverse groups of women and girls in their communities. Together, their resourceful and innovative suggestions enable truly needs-based emergency support and services to women and girls who are currently at greatest risk of being left behind. The consultations provided an opportunity to hear directly about the specific risks and challenges that women and girls face as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; they also focused on the opportunities and solutions they are providing so that the strategic focus of support can be adjusted in a gender-responsive manner to reflect their differentiated experience.