The COVID-19 Response: What Has Women, Peace and Security Got to Do With it?

May 7, 2020 | Naomi Clugston, Michelle Spearing
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The United Kingdom is one of the 25 countries deemed least vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the face of rising death tolls, a stretched National Health Service, restrictions on movement and a looming economic crisis, this offers little reassurance. Already, extreme impacts on people who are homeless, living with disabilities, and with insecure incomes are becoming clear. Emerging evidence also shows that women are likely to be particularly affected, exemplified by the spike in domestic violence following the national lockdown. In the UK, we’ve seen the rapid mobilisation of government, business and society to respond to the spread and impacts of COVID-19, demonstrating the levels of institutional capacity, social capital and financial investment required to cope with extreme health crises. Seven of the ten countries most vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic are conflict zones whilst other highly vulnerable countries are fragile states, recovering from or at risk of future armed conflict, or hosting refugee populations. Most of these countries can be characterised by some level of state-collapse, with long periods of fighting leading to the destruction of infrastructure, health systems and trust in government and state institutions. Across these countries, millions of people live in extreme poverty with no safety nets. Women and girls are at particular risk, facing high levels of violence within their homes, communities and from armed groups. Simultaneously, they constitute the majority of frontline health workers and caregivers, and are often among first responders in humanitarian crises.