DO BETTER iWE MUST A Feminist Assessment of the Humanitarian Aid System's Support of Women- and Girl-Led Organizations during the COVID-19 ...

WE MUST
DO BETTER
A Feminist Assessment of the Humanitarian
Aid System’s Support of Women- and Girl-Led
Organizations during the COVID-19 Pandemic

 AMPLIFYING WOMEN AND GIRLS IN CRISES

i

 AMPLIFYING WOMEN AND GIRLS IN CRISES

#WeMustDoBetter

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 Acknowledgments and Citations
 2
 Executive Summary
 3
 Introduction
 6
 Research Aims and Core Questions
 10
 Methodology
 11
 Findings: What Women and Girls Told Us
 13
 Core Impacts of COVID-19
 24
 25
 According to Women Leaders

 Conclusions

 Recommendations
 27
 References
 30

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

 First, we must thank the women and girl NoVo Foundation, and other partners that
 leaders that contributed their thoughts, have supported the sharing of this survey
 insights, experiences, and concerns to the around the world, including The Equality
 development of this project. It is because Institute, Oxfam International, the Sexual
 of their freedom that we do this work. We Violence Research Initiative, UNHCR, UN
 exist for them. We must do better for them. Women, Purposeful, USAID, and the Femi-
 nist Humanitarian Network. We would also
 We dedicate this report to their commit- like to thank Statistics Without Borders for
 ment and perseverance in the face of the their quantitative analysis of all of the data.
 crisis, and we hope that we have represen- It is because of our friends and allies (inclu-
 ted their perspectives, experiences, and ding, but not limited to, Catherine Poulton,
 priorities faithfully, and with the deepest Christine Heckman, and Josh Chaffin) in
 respect, love, and solidarity for our sister the rooms and halls of power that real con-
 activists. versations and transformative change are
 possible.
 VOICE would also like to thank our sup-
 portive partners, donors, and other allies. We are thrilled to showcase the incredi-
 UNICEF has been the largest donor and ble work of the VOICE research team, led
 partner for this edition of our We Must Do by Heather Cole, Sinéad Murray, Sharanya
 Better series, which is a shared deliverable Sekaram, and Amy Greenbank, as well as
 under our ambitious partnership: “She the broader VOICE team, including the
 Leads the Way: Revolutionizing the Aid VOICE Fellows, Head of Communications
 Sector’s Approach to GBV Prevention and and Marketing Chiderah Monde, and Exe-
 Response by Harnessing the Power of Wo- cutive Director Mendy Marsh. We would
 men and Girls.” Additional donors include also like to thank Jasmina El Bouamraoui
 Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, the of EL BOUM for the report design.

 CITATIONS
 Report citation
 VOICE (2021). We Must Do Better.
 In-text (VOICE, 2021)

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

 The results show how precarious the pro-
 gress toward gender equity has been, in
 We Must Do Better represents the first at- every sphere of life. During the pandemic,
 tempt at a global feminist assessment of the women and girls are realizing, painfully, that
 experiences of women and girls—and the or- they had not so much gained their rights
 ganizations they lead—during the COVID-19 within patriarchal contexts, but rather had
 pandemic. It looks at their lives holistical- been given concessions that were granted
 ly to see how the pandemic has impacted only until a crisis struck, then quickly with-
 their organizations and communities and drawn. COVID-19 may not discriminate, but
 how humanitarian responders engage with families, communities, and governments
 them, if at all. We invited 200 feminist orga- certainly do.
 nizations and individual women and girls in
 41 countries to share their experiences du- The humanitarian aid sector contributes too,
 ring the pandemic and speak of their needs. despite its commitments to crisis-affected
 populations—denying women and girls
 The work sought to understand how their their rights to participation, consultation,
 organizations are being affected and the and services and in some cases subjecting
 ways in which they are (or are not) being them to its own types of violence. Response
 supported. We asked about their frustrati- strategies have failed to engage women-
 ons and how to alleviate the burdens they and girl-led organizations to explore what
 carry. We looked at how gender inequalities a gender-transformative health response
 manifest in crisis; what impact lockdowns might look like. Many of the organizations
 and economic downturns have on women responding to this survey noted that they
 and girls; and how the pandemic has affec- have not been invited to participate in the
 ted the violence they face. planning for the COVID-19 response, in spite
 of humanitarian agencies’ mandates to do
 The VOICE survey asked them to look at their so. We are taking this opportunity to make it
 domestic lives as well as the supportive roles known that the humanitarian system needs
 they play in communities and to find con- to do better. The pandemic makes this more
 nections between the two domains. It recog- apparent than ever.
 nizes the dual aspects of women’s lives––that
 women in leadership are not living “outside” The loss of women’s incomes, resources,
 the dynamics they are trying to change and freedom of movement, friendships, and
 are often experiencing violence similar to the networks come in addition to the increased
 women they serve. household burdens, demands for support
 from children and other family members,
 We covered issues of access to resources for and care for those who are sick. The closure
 their organizations; health, wellness, and ot- of schools, the difficulties in obtaining food,
 her kinds of social care; their exposure to and increased sanitation needs are burdens
 violence; and their access to supportive net- disproportionately carried by women.
 works. The findings are organized around
 three major themes that emerged: social In May 2020, the United Nations Population
 expectations and norms, access to resources Fund (UNFPA) and other actors forecasted
 and assets; and giving and receiving care. major concerns about increased violencet

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against women and girls (VAWG). Yet there through traditional gender expectations
 was no specific objective included for VAWG at every level: local, national, regional, and
 in the overall Global Humanitarian Response global.
 Plan.1
 VOICE and many other feminist organizati-
 Both foreign and domestic responses to the ons and activists in the humanitarian sector
 pandemic have relied heavily, and without have been reporting the same needs, the
 negotiation, on the unpaid labor of women same violence, and the same marginaliza-
 and girls. The assumption that women are tion of women and girls for decades. We
 a resource to be deployed within a crisis, know that they experience specific, predic-
 rather than members of communities in table consequences and rights violations
 need, is connected to widespread gender whenever a disaster strikes, and yet their
 norms. Their needs and experiences are not needs go mostly unrecognized, unfunded,
 aligned with the assumptions underpinning and ignored.
 the response. Unlike men, around who the
 response has been designed, women are The main recommendations are for du-
 experiencing increased exposure to violence, ty-bearers to adhere to their own global
 increased responsibility for others, and lack commitments to localization of humani-
 of or reduced access to sex-specific health tarian response, including systematically
 services they require. creating ways for women and girls to de-
 sign and lead responses in addition to in-
 Women working to support women and girls corporating their views and contributions
 find themselves having to “do more with into all phases of the Humanitarian Pro-
 less,” effectively working harder than ever, gramme Cycle (HPC). Further, we recom-
 for free, without the resources to change mend a gender power analysis be applied
 the modes of delivery in the context of social to all health interventions, that interventions
 distancing. Women leaders are legitimately take into account women’s greater exposu-
 concerned that now, having done their CO- re, and that funding be protected for sexual
 VID-19 response work with minimal support, and reproductive health (SRH) and VAWG
 they will be expected to continue to work services. Duty-bearers should provide mul-
 on these terms in the future. At the same ti-year flexible funding to local women- and
 time, demand for their unpaid caregiving is girl-led organizations through partnerships
 also increasing within the private domains driven by and grounded in local expertise
 of family and community. In both domains, and knowledge. They should reach out to
 their own needs are made invisible and dis- networks of women-led civil society organi-
 regarded, even as the risks to their health zations (CSOs) and non-governmental or-
 and safety have increased. ganizations (NGOs) to ask what roles they
 would like to play as partners and address
 A similar report could have been written any barriers to their participation. Women-
 in response to other recent epidemics and and girl-led organizations also need connec-
 pandemics, including SARS, Ebola, and Zika. tions to donors and support in connecting
 COVID-19 has unveiled again that women to each other regionally to strengthen their
 and girls are both more exposed to infection resistance, solidarity, networks, and advo-
 than men and boys and also providing more cacy. The humanitarian system, including
 of the care. However, these realities have still UN actors and international non-govern-
 not been built into humanitarian response. mental organizations (INGOs), must always
 advocate for and ensure there is a specific
 Despite all the learning from multiple crises, objective around VAWG/gender-based vio-
 the process of shaping responses has not lence (GBV), through Global Humanitarian
 changed for women and girls. They find Response Plans (GHRPs). All life-saving is-
 themselves again situated within the pan- sues, including addressing VAWG, should
 demic and the response in ways determined be prioritized.

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ABOUT VOICE

 VOICE is a cutting-edge feminist organiza- they are the best judges of what is needed,
 tion working to end VAWG in conflict, crisis, though they are routinely ignored by those
 and disaster settings around the world. We who hold the power in aid organizations.
 are a team of skilled humanitarians with
 extensive experience working on VAWG in We are working to help meet the needs
 emergency contexts, and we have seen that of women- and girl-led organizations in a
 the humanitarian aid sector itself has con- growing number of countries, including Af-
 sistently failed to meet the needs of women ghanistan, Bangladesh, Colombia, the De-
 and girls in these settings. We believe that mocratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Ke-
 the industry must change to deliver on its nya, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, the United
 promise to protect them; we also know that States, Venezuela, and Yemen.

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RIGHT NOW, IT IS
 ALL ABOUT SURVIVAL. Women-Led Network
 Kenya

 INTRODUCTION
 The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have Information collected through the initial
 been immense, with long-term repercussi- research survey will be used for advocacy
 ons and social consequences. The crisis has with donors and other decision-makers in
 triggered the largest global recession since the humanitarian community to highlight
 the Great Depression.2 Nearly all countries the impacts of COVID-19 on VAWG and to
 have instituted lockdowns or curfews at bring much-needed attention to these is-
 various stages; global supply chains have sues.
 been disrupted; commercial travel has
 declined; and the closure of educational Previous research and experiences with
 institutions continues. The shape of work epidemic and pandemic outbreaks have
 and social lives globally have been altered shown that women and men are different-
 in ways that could not have been foreseen, ly socially situated in health crises and so
 and these extreme changes have had spe- have different vulnerabilities.
 cific and critical implications for women
 and girls. A key finding in relation to the SARS out-
 break revealed that men were more likely
 In August 2020, as part of VOICE’s work in to seek treatment than women, while wo-
 centering and amplifying the voices of wo- men had to be persuaded and enabled to
 men and girls, we initiated the We Must gain access to treatment. This was ampli-
 Do Better research series,3 with the aim of fied in the case of women living in pover-
 creating space for women and girls to share ty who were more likely to prioritize their
 their own experiences and perspectives on limited resources for their family.4 Women’s
 the COVID-19 pandemic. sense of entitlement to care, and to their

The project was
precipitated by THE NEED TO
 socially situate medical and clinical re-
 THE NEED TO
 apply a feminist lens to the data and in-
the following
core concerns: sponses to health crises, in recognition formation about COVID-19, particularly
 of the ways in which all epidemics and in the context of gender inequality and
 pandemics affect women and men dif- VAWG.
 ferently.

 THE NEED TO THE NEED TO
 earn from the experiences of women-
 recognize the gendered nature, and im- and girl-led groups in the context of the
 pacts, of health and care. pandemic.

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care being a priority, was much less than the elderly, and those with disabilities and
 men’s. Women also struggled to access specific needs—have skewed significant
 treatment outside of the home due to impacts on women’s economic capacities;
 controls on their freedom of movement, women with higher levels of caring respon-
 both through threats to their personal sa- sibilities are more likely to be self-employ-
 fety and access to the resources necessary ed, to work in the informal economy, and
 for transport.5 A second core finding from to have reduced protections in their work.
 the analysis of the impact of SARS in Hong In times of crisis, including pandemics, wo-
 Kong also found that women make up a men’s lower incomes are the ones most
 large portion of healthcare workers, ma- likely to collapse first, with women also
 king them more exposed to infection and being more unlikely to sustain their work
 therefore more vulnerable. alongside increased responsibilities for ot-
 hers.11
 These findings were echoed in research
 from the 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola out- The gendered nature of social care and
 break, where the reality of women making care work means women are at greater
 up more than 80% of the nursing and mid- risk of infection. They also lack access to
 wifery workforce had an immense impact information that can slow the spread of the
 on their risk of contracting the illness,6 par- illness, including through limited access to
 ticularly early on when personal protective formal education, gendered communica-
 equipment (PPE) was either unavailable or tion barriers, and the exclusion of women
 tightly limited. Women’s informal caregi- from public meetings.12 Women’s reliance
 ving roles within communities, including on the men around them for information
 as traditional birth attendants and in the further reduces their understanding of the
 preparation of bodies for burial, also increa- illness, including how to keep themselves
 sed their exposure, as they were more likely safe, where to find resources, and what
 to take on responsibilities and work within support is available.
 their families and their wider communities
 as more people became sick, thus being Gendered dynamics continue to play out in
 much more exposed to person-to-person health crises and pandemics. No medical
 transmission.7 or health emergency takes place in a soci-
 al vacuum, and the bodies upon which a
 Globally, women perform 76.2% of the total pandemic is manifest are not outside social
 hours of unpaid care work, more than three power relations and relationships. Situati-
 times as much as men. In Asia and the Pa- ons of crisis amplify existing inequalities
 cific, this rises to 80%.8 The economic value across multiple dimensions, with gender
 of unpaid care work is staggering—it ac- hierarchies running through and across
 counts for 40% of GDP according to some every axis of discrimination and oppres-
 reports. Even when women earn more than sion.13
 men, they still shoulder a great portion of
 this work,9 across social contexts, the status Gender power relations create inequities
 of countries, and cultural divides. More or in access to resources, the distribution of
 less explicit patriarchal norms mean wo- labor and roles, social norms and values,
 men everywhere carry the majority of do- and decision-making—all of which mani-
 mestic, reproductive, and caregiving work; fest throughout health and social care.14
 within a crisis, women’s caregiving respon- There is a nascent recognition that health
 sibilities increase, often at the expense of policy shapes and affects gender inequali-
 their own health.10 These responsibilities ties due to how it takes account of existing
 for the care of others—including children, inequalities in its approaches, expectations

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and practices. Policies that fail to recognize ties such as visiting the sick, cooking, and
 existing gendered inequalities will exacer- cleaning.19 Data compiled by the World
 bate and reinforce them, however inadvert- Health Organization (WHO) f rom 104
 ently, and create more difficulties, exposu- countries showed that women form 70%
 res, and insecurities for women and girls. of the healthcare and social services work-
 force. Given their limited access to PPE and
 Findings around previous pandemics sho- regular interactions with carriers of the vi-
 wed that pregnant women and girls have rus,20 women’s risk of contracting COVID-19
 more contact with health services, putting goes up.
 them at potentially higher risk, while the
 vectors and mechanisms of transmission Despite all the data on the influence of
 are poorly understood, and pregnancy sta- gendered social norms on health system
 tus tends to be treated like any other con- structures and processes, and the recog-
 comitant condition. While gender has an nized reliance on overwhelmingly female
 impact on the transmission and impacts unpaid caregivers,21 health systems still
 of diseases, not enough focus is given to fail to include a gendered perspective into
 gender as a factor.15 Treatment protocols, their work and approaches.22 This is equally
 as well as the development of vaccines, are true of the international aid system.
 rarely tested for safety with pregnant wo-
 men, leaving them exposed to unknown Women’s organizations and services tend
 risks.16 to be significantly under-funded, under-re-
 sourced, and overlooked by international
 This disproportionate distribution of wealth aid agencies, even outside of a crisis.23 They
 means that women have less control and have a disproportionate dependence on
 less influence within capitalist socio-econo- women’s voluntary or underpaid work and
 mic structures, where control of resources skills, and this extends into crises. Prior to
 shapes freedoms and autonomy. Women this pandemic, the Coalition of Feminists
 have less decision-making power both in for Social Change collated data and infor-
 public and private spheres and are more mation around the distribution of funding
 vulnerable to exploitation in the workforce, and allocations to VAWG interventions wit-
 and these dynamics are connected as both hin humanitarian crises,24 finding that the
 causes and effects. specific resources available are minimal.
 Research led by VOICE and the Interna-
 COVID-19’s risks of economic and social loss tional Rescue Committee (IRC) tracked
 are far greater for women and girls.17 From the funding for women’s organizations
 the closure of schools, the increased need in the report Where’s the Money?25 and
 for care, and more people constrained at found a shocking lack of commitment to
 home, to the need for increased health and women’s organizations and to addressing
 hygiene practices, the increase in forced the potential and reality of VAWG within
 and early marriage driven by economic in- the pandemic.
 stability, the inability to access formal edu-
 cation, and a continuing lack of interge- Experts suggested the importance of in-
 nerational support,18 women and girls are cluding a specific objective dedicated to
 hardest hit by the impacts of a pandemic. the prevention of VAWG and response stra-
 tegies within the GHRP. This would have
 A gender analysis of news media from Sri ensured at least some prioritization of the
 Lanka, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Australia du- acute need for response, as well as some le-
 ring the COVID-19 pandemic recognized vel of tracking of VAWG-specific indicators
 the gendered burdens in frontline work, and funding and some level of accountabi-
 unpaid care work, and community activi- lity. Most importantly, it would have made

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VAWG prevention and response a precon-
 dition of a “successful” humanitarian effort.
 These expert calls fell on deaf ears, just as
 they historically have decade after decade.

 While there has been some progress to
 date, as of August 2020, VAWG accounted
 for only 0.48% of the overall funding appeal
 of the GHRP—a shockingly small share, gi-
 ven the increased need that had already
 been observed.26

 What we learned from the research is ful-
 ly aligned with UNFPA’s May 2020 report,
 which revealed the scale of the impact of
 COVID-19 on women as health systems
 became overloaded, facilities closed or li-
 mited their services, and women began
 skipping medical visits to avoid virus risks.
 This report flagged concerns about supply
 chain disruptions, leading to shortages of
 contraceptives, and an increase in VAWG
 due to families being trapped at home. The
 report projected that:

 47 MILLION 31 MILLION
 women in 114 low- and middle-income count- additional cases of VAWG were expected to
 ries may not be able to access modern con- occur if the lockdown continued for at least
 traceptives and seven million unintended six months. For every three months beyond
 pregnancies were expected to occur if the that, an additional 15 million extra cases of
 lockdown carried on for six months. For every VAWG were expected.
 three months the lockdown continued, an ad-
 ditional two million women may have been
 unable to use modern contraceptives.

 2 MILLION 13 MILLION
 female genital mutilation cases may occur additional child marriages potentially taking
 over the next decade that could have other- place between 2020 and 2030.
 wise been averted.

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RESEARCH AIMS AND
 CORE QUESTIONS

 The aim of this research, and the analysis and challenges social policy; and under-
 of the data, are grounded in VOICE’s femi- taking research that improves our own
 nist values, and an explicit commitment reflexivity in becoming catalysts for social
 to understanding the specific impacts change.
 and implications of COVID-19 on women,
 girls, and the organizations and associati- This research sought to understand the
 ons they lead. In line with Bloom and Sa- impact of the current pandemic on wo-
 win’s criteria,27 this research was focused men and girls in the context of wider global
 on women’s voices and experiences and in gender inequalities, with an understanding
 reducing the power asymmetry between of VAWG as a central mechanism in the
 researcher and participants; analyzing data maintenance of this inequality. The work
 to uncover sites of resistance and opportu- sought to better understand how indivi-
 nities for social change; creating a practical dual women and feminist organizations
 difference with the women engaged in the are affected and supported. The primary
 study; carrying out research that affects lines of inquiry were:

 WHAT WHAT
 are the needs and risks of women are the priorities for support among
 and girls in the context of COVID-19? women- and girl-led organizations, ac-
 tivists, and networks related to VAWG
 and COVID-19?

 HOW
 WHAT
 have these changed due to the crisis?

 are the recommendations for VOICE to

 HOW incorporate into the design and imple-
 mentation of interventions to support
 are COVID-19 and related concerns im- women- and girl-led organizations and
 pacting women- and girl-led organiza- networks during the COVID-19 pande-
 tions, activists, and networks? mic and beyond?

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METHODOLOGY

 The survey enabled women to look at their Limitations
 experiences as individuals with private and
 domestic lives, as well as their roles in orga- Responses are likely to be clustered around
 nizations and public life. Respondents ref- organizations with greater resources, due
 lected on their access to resources, health to the necessity of survey participation on-
 care and social care, and supportive net- line. Participation was also self-selecting;
 works, as well as their exposure to violence. some organizations may not have respon-
 The focus of the research was organizations ded due to high workload or additional
 led by women and girls, providing services donor demands. Further work will be un-
 and advocacy to the same groups. Prioriti- dertaken with smaller and unregistered
 zing women’s leadership, recognizing the groups to extend the opportunity to par-
 contributions of their organizations, and ticipate and validate the findings across
 letting them name their own experiences regions.
 was central to the ethic of the research.
 This report looks at the global commo-
 To support the participation of as many wo- nalities and differences across thematic
 men as possible, we used an online survey. areas. Companion papers from VOICE in
 The link was shared through multiple net- 2021 will delve more deeply into particular
 works and platforms using a mix of quanti- aspects of the findings, exploring the de-
 tative and qualitative questions to provide tails of women’s concerns and looking at
 texture. regional issues.

 9 LANGUAGES
 The survey was translated into nine
 languages, including French, Spanish,
 Portuguese, Dari, and Arabic.

 200 ORGANIZATIONS
 More than 200 organizations respon-
 ded, providing a broad spectrum of
 experience across six regions.

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About the Respondents

 Responses came predominantly from wo- posed to both poverty and violence within
 men-led civil society organizations, repre- the family. These are also the years when
 senting both themselves as individuals and women are most likely to be responsible
 the women and girls they support. 84% of for the care of their children, elderly family
 the participating groups, networks, and or- members, and those with disabilities.
 ganizations described themselves as being
 led by women, with 15% being led by men. The focus on adolescent girls is par-
 The final 1% described themselves as led by ticularly important since the impacts
 a management committee that they did of crises fall heavily on them in mul-
 not disaggregate by gender. tiple ways, including their exposure
 to violence.
 The majority work in small organiza-
 tions or networks with fewer than 50 Within the work with women and girls, the
 team members. survey explored in more depth the kinds of
 work that organizations are involved with
 They are mainly locally focused, and their around violence. Many of these categories
 work is mostly in service delivery. Many are overlapping. Child, early, and forced
 are also involved with advocacy, changing marriage, for example, will often include
 community norms, and policy work in ad- domestic violence, always include sexual
 dition to their core services. violence, and will sometimes include child
 sexual abuse, depending on the age of the
 Not all the organizations participating are girl.
 solely focused on women and girls, but the
 majority were focused on females from 18 The majority of respondents reported that
 to 65 years of age and adolescent girls bet- their work focused primarily on domestic
 ween the ages of 11 and 17. This age bracket violence, sexual violence, sexual exploita-
 covers women through their reproductive tion and abuse, child sexual abuse, intimate
 years, when they are most likely to need partner violence, harmful practices, or hu-
 SRH services and when they are highly ex- man trafficking, with a small proportion
 noting none or other.

 84%
 of the participating groups,
 networks, and organizations
 described themselves as being
 led by women
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FINDINGS: WHAT WOMEN
 AND GIRLS TOLD US
 We are unable to reach out to friends
 either because of constraints, or preoc-
 Responses to the survey clustered around three
 cupation due to [our] husbands and kids
 interconnected themes:
 staying at home [increasing] our worklo-
 ads, or time constraints because we use
 the time to meet basic needs.
 SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS
 Women’s Rights Activist
 AND NORMS
 Somalia

 through, for example, public shaming, stigmati-
 zing, the ruination of the reputations of women
 ACCESS TO GIVING AND and girls, and the marginalizing of women who
 RESOURCES RECEIVING CARE
 AND ASSETS are considered to have “failed.” Victim-blaming
 not only serves to protect perpetrators but to
 uphold the social narratives of women’s “respec-
 tability,” “honor,” and “deservingness” of support
 and care. Social violence surrounds and enables
 Girls’ and women’s health have suffered, the multiple forms of violence that women and
 [but] their needs are less of a priority. girls experience from the men in their families
 As they are experiencing financial in- and their communities. Women and girls often

 stability, [they turn] to bad practices experience these as a “second wound,” com-
 pounding and reinforcing the first and intensi-
 as they cannot afford alternatives, [lose
 fying their isolation and their loneliness.
 their] power position in the family as deci-
 sion-makers, lack safe space to recuperate
 These themes do not stand alone and deeply
 [and experience] mental trauma. intersect with one another. The connections
 Women’s Rights Activist between these issues are critical areas of atten-
 Bangladesh
 tion for any feminist or woman-centered policy
 The social expectation that women and girls will response or aid intervention. The experiences
 provide care to family members means that their of women and girls in their access to resources
 work is considered a family or household resour- and assets, and their experiences of giving and
 ce, taken for granted, unpaid, and unrecognized. receiving care, are influenced and affected by
 This has consequences for themselves, in parti- social expectations and norms, not only in their
 cular the need for friends and social networks, communities but throughout the architecture
 education, and livelihoods. Women and girls are of aid interventions.
 not regarded as stakeholders in the response to
 the pandemic with needs and interests of their Women and girls responding to this survey de-
 own; rather, they are situated and understood as scribed the parallel processes between their li-
 one of the resources deployed to support others. ves as individual women and their experiences
 running women- or girl-led organizations; for
 The experiences of women and girls also exist example, expectations that they would work vo-
 within the various layers of social inequality, fur- luntarily, without additional resources, that they
 ther exacerbating their vulnerability and their would put the needs of others ahead of their
 exposure to violence. The violence they face is own, or that they should provide care to ever-
 not only individual or from individual men; social yone else before their own staff, were reported
 violence also reinforces inequitable gender roles in every region.

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1. S O C I A L EXPECTAT I O N S
 AND NORMS

 Quarantine has increased the workload
 inside and outside the home.
 Women’s Organization
 Iraq

 The central theme in the responses is that
 social expectations and norms shape the
 experiences of women and girls and their
 organizations. The increased unpaid re-
 sponsibilities for care, the deprioritizing of
 women’s services and health care, and the The end of access to school for adolescent
 struggles of women- and girl-led organi- girls is catastrophic over the life-cycle. Not
 zations to meet the increased demand for only can they lose self-esteem and stan-
 services with fewer resources are universal. ding in the community, but they also lose
 the single most significant social and pro-
 tective structure in their lives. Out of school,
 Women used to all stay together most of they miss opportunities to make friends
 the time so we kept each other safe, [but] and build supportive relationships, and the
 due to COVID we are scattered in different implications are well-documented: they
 parts of the country. Some went upcoun- become more likely to experience intimate
 try to bury loved ones or to mitigate the partner violence (IPV) and unchosen preg-
 pressures of town life. Right now, most nancies, be given reduced opportunities
 of our advocacy and edutainment is done to generate their own income, and have a
 greater dependency on men.
 online. They bully us and insult us there,
 but it is to be expected.
 The global evidence is that men are also
 Women’s Rights Advocate
 Kenya
 not taking up the additional workload of
 homeschooling children, providing care,
 Freedom of movement and association and ensuring that the elderly, the vulnera-
 are now being taken away from women ble and the isolated have food, company,
 and girls, in one of the clearest examples and care during lockdowns. These are glo-
 of norms and expectations constraining bal dynamics, as familiar in countries whe-
 women’s lives. For adolescent girls, the im- re there is presumed to be more gender
 plications are stark; multiple respondents equality as in those with more patriarchal
 highlighted that the longer schools are clo- cultures.28 29 The fragility of the structural
 sed, the less likely it is that girls will return progress toward gender equality has been
 to education when it becomes possible— revealed as the pressures of care, domes-
 much less likely, in fact, than their male tic responsibilities, and social expectations
 peers. about who cares and who is cared for land
 on women and girls. Men’s reflexive res-
 Most families invest in their boy child ponse has been to lean on women, and the
 first, then the girl. structures of work, care, public life, policy,
 and intervention have enabled and rein-
 Women’s Empowerment Association
 Bangladesh forced this.

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2. ACCESS TO RESOURCES
 AND ASSETS

 Most resort to prostitution to access mo-
 A second central theme in the responses
 ney and other material needs.
 to the survey was access to financial re-
 Women’s Support Association
 sources and other assets. These included Sierra Leone
 household economic assets, funding for
 organizations, food security, technology, and girls from the virus, and exposure to
 and social assets. The manifestations ran- sexual violence.
 ged from the loss of paid work, the struggle
 to have access to resources to meet basic According to many predictions, this may
 needs, reduced incomes forcing impossible only be the beginning of the economic
 decisions and unbearable choices, a lack downturn, and the impact on control of
 of digital access and thus a lack of access resources and aid priorities remains to be
 to banking or mobile money information seen. The longer the disruptions in global
 (as well as other information resources), supply chains and the deeper the econo-
 increased burdens of unpaid care work, mic effects, the more women and girls
 and more. These are not just results of the stand to lose progress made in recent de-
 pandemic but also factors leading to di- cades.
 sproportionate health impacts for women

 2.1. CHANNELS FOR ECONOMIC
 ASSETS

 Women commonly reported job losses,
 decreased income, and struggles to keep Because of climate change, the job pattern
 small businesses afloat. The livelihood chal- in my working area changed. Now, most
 lenges come on top of what we already of the women are involved with crab and
 know about women and work—that they shrimp cultivation. But during COVID-19,
 are normally employed in more insecure si- they could not sell their product as ex-
 tuations, with informal and part-time jobs, ports have stopped. As a result, they do
 and are more likely to be self-employed not have any income.
 with fewer labor protections than men. Women’s Livelihoods Project
 Bangladesh

 In many contexts, the pandemic has exa-
 cerbated the impacts of climate change The issues faced by women with small and
 on women’s work; it has become harder to micro-enterprises were also widely discus-
 access clean water for themselves and their sed across regions, including those with
 families, there is sustained precarity of their home-based businesses, street vendors,
 incomes through periodic and increased and market traders, who faced the brunt
 flooding of farmland, and there have been of the economic crisis when their access
 increases in natural disasters. Collectively, to customers was denied by lockdowns.
 these have all had an impact on domestic Livelihoods were also lost to increased care
 and income-generating agricultural work. burdens, which meant losing control over
 These dynamics also reduce the economic resources, decision-making authority and
 resilience with which to weather shocks. status, and learning opportunities.

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The decrease in income highlighted in the
 The financial situation of many women
 survey is also interesting to examine in the
 and girls has deteriorated. In families wider context of the gender wage gap,
 where there is domestic violence, the which is globally estimated to be around
 partner’s control over financial expendi- 23%.30 This both underestimates and un-
 tures has been tightened. derstates the full extent of the impact of
 Domestic Violence Services Organization COVID-19 by not accounting for the infor-
 Russian Federation
 mal work and self-employment that is pri-
 marily undertaken by women.
 Women’s ability to provide food for the
 family has also been compromised by The links between the poverty of women
 the collapse of their incomes. and girls and their exposure to sexual ex-
 ploitation and abuse are well-documented.
 The collapse of their incomes, combined
 The needs of women and girls have chan-
 with the reinforcement by some aid agen-
 ged. They mostly need support as most of cies that men are the “heads of house-
 them lost their livelihood and income-ge- holds” and control the available resources,
 nerating activities [due to] COVID. We takes no account of the responsibilities that
 have seen women land owners forced to women and girls carry for providing for the
 sell their land due to lack of money to needs of others. This generates precarity
 run the family. and exposure to both sexual abuse and the
 Women’s Association virus.
 Bangladesh

 A compounding issue is the prioritizing of
 men in the recovery and reconstruction
 The economic situation has limited [wo- planning and interventions. Women are
 men’s ability to meet] material needs like not typically part of the planning for live-
 buying clothes, food, and household items. lihoods or economic strengthening pro-
 grams, which not only results in disappo-
 Women’s Rights Network
 Haiti
 inting outcomes but also increases their
 exposure to violence within households
 and communities.

 2.2. FUNDING FOR
 WOMEN- AND GIRL-LED
 O R G A N I Z AT I O N S
 Since everyone is figuring how best to
 It is not just individual women who are
 feeling this impact; at an organizational survive with their own families, I am the
 level, respondents say they are struggling one who is doing most of the work by
 with a lack of funding, inability to meet the myself. This [organization] is something
 costs of basic sanitary and medical needs,
 and decreasing staff numbers. Women’s I started and I am happy to hold the
 organizations described the need for their fort. It is hard and the main issue is re-
 service delivery, support, and work to in- sources.
 crease at the same time as their funding
 Women’s Rights Activist
 and capacity was being reduced. Mentions Kenya
 of “less money, more work” or “do more
 with less” ran through responses from all
 regions. Demand for services increased,
 but without the resources, or the support
 to change the modes of delivery in the con-
 text of socially distanced provision, made
 available to meet those needs.

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#WeMustDoBetter

Have you been able to access have not received any additional funding
 new funding for your services to help with their response. As the needs
 a n d /o r a c t i v i s m t o r e s p o n d t o of their service users increase, the needs
 COVID-19? for PPE and other resources for staff also
 increase.
 2% YES
 NO
 23% 22%
 STILL WAITING Our organization had no funds from 15
 FOR FUNDING
 DECISIONS
 February until 15 September.
 50%
 DO NOT KNOW Women’s Rights Organization
 Bangladesh

 Over the past year, several donors have Organizations have also reported donors
 taken action to make their reporting and reducing or canceling their grant-making.
 application procedures more flexible and Others have had difficulty in getting donor
 easier on their grantees. Examples include funds transferred as banks have been clo-
 groups such as the NoVo Foundation, Well- sed. For some, the changes in funding have
 spring Philanthropic Fund, and the Oak been catastrophic.
 Foundation. Some groups have also pulled
 together to create The Global Resilience
 Fund for Girls and Young Women. Some Many potential donors canceled the gran-
 UN agencies have started trying to increase ting process due to COVID-19 and they
 their ability to work with women- and girl- haven’t opened any other opportunities
 led organizations as direct grantees. For yet. One of [our] donors had already ap-
 example, UNICEF has taken a number of proved their grant, but it took more than
 concrete steps to strengthen the capacity
 two months to have the funds transferred.
 of its internal systems to partner with local
 Women’s Rights Organization
 women’s organizations. Through the Call to Malawi
 Action on Protection from Gender-Based
 Violence in Emergencies: Road Map 2021-
 Reliance on individual donations also be-
 2025 and the new Core Commitments for comes more precarious as grantors have
 Children in Humanitarian Action, UNICEF fewer resources and increasing needs of
 has made specific commitments on this to- their own. Organizations that rely on offi-
 pic. It also recently commissioned VOICE to cers’ side-jobs to stay afloat in lean times
 develop a background paper summarizing are now less able to do so. Not only are
 feedback from local women’s organizati- women’s and girls’ organizations shut out
 ons on their actual experiences partnering from access to and conversations with do-
 with UNICEF in the field, which will inform nors, but their self-financing mechanisms
 development of the forthcoming Strategic are also under threat.
 Plan.
 When asked what kinds of funding support
 While some donors have recognized the efforts they need, the majority of respon-
 needs of women- and girl-led organiza- dents noted wanting opportunities to build
 tions, and have made important efforts donor relationships and support in enga-
 to accommodate the necessary changes ging in advocacy for funding with the UN
 and to support organizations to sustain and other donors. They also noted wanting
 services, most have not been so generous. application and disbursement processes
 A year into this pandemic, many organi- that are easy and simple, not bureaucratic
 zations are still waiting to hear about fun- and convoluted.
 ding decisions, and half of respondents

#WeMustDoBetter 17 AMPLIFYING WOMEN AND GIRLS IN CRISES

2.3. FOOD INSECURITY

 With incomes decreasing, women say they
 The women never really had access to
 are now more likely to go hungry or distri-
 these resources; only a few organizati-
 bute their share to children and elders in
 the household.
 ons provided… materials for women. Even
 our government did not do anything to
 respond to the needs of the women... The
 women and girls were left to themselves…
 If they were to wait for the government,
 The World Food Programme re-
 ports that the number of peop- everyone who is vulnerable would die.
 le facing a food crisis will likely Women’s Rights Association
 Haiti
 double because of COVID-19,
 When faced with reduced resources and
 with women and girls already
 assets, including losing jobs, many women
 constituting 60% of those facing
 experience abandonment by their hus-
 a food crisis. As women volun-
 bands. In the context of polygamy, men
 tarily or involuntarily sacrifice
 make choices about which wives and chil-
 food to others in the household,
 dren to support, and there is little women
 they run the risk of malnutrition,
 can do to make themselves the priority. In
 making them more susceptible
 other instances, women report having their
 to disease. 
 assets effectively stolen by their husbands.

 2 . 4 . ACC E S S TO I N FO R M AT I O N
 AND REMOTE SERVICES

 One of the key impacts shared by respon- from consultations on the pandemic res-
 dents was around the digital divide and ponse, and experience a much greater sen-
 limited access to information through tech- se of loneliness and isolation. Connections
 nology. Many reported constrained access with their friends, women’s groups, and
 to their own devices and the internet. support networks have also been seriously
 curtailed, leaving them much more expo-
 sed and vulnerable to violence, exploitation,
 The digital divide remains a gen- and abuse.
 dered one: most of the 3.9 billion
 people who are offline are in ru- [We are seeing] a lack of access to technology
 ral areas, poorer, less educated,
 and places to access publicly available tech-
 and overwhelmingly women and
 nology [because] libraries and community
 girls. 
 centers are closing.
 Women’s Domestic Violence Response Service
 Canada
 They may be unable to access information
 about the pandemic or necessary health At both the individual and organizational
 and support services, or to remain connec- level, women and girls who did have access
 ted to family and friends during lockdowns. to technology struggled to fully utilize it
 due to less familiarity and their reduced
 They have been unable to utilize work- access to education. Organizations repor-
 from-home opportunities, are excluded ted a struggle to shift the delivery of their

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#WeMustDoBetter

services to online platforms. They may not
 Some services have been provided online,
 have the resources or skills to provide sup-
 [such as] mental health care. Some other
 port and information by phone or online,
 and survivors may not have the resources
 health services are being provided through
 or technology to access remote services. cell phones. [But] they are facing many
 Survivors living with domestic violence and difficulties.
 confined to home with their abuser may Women’s Support Association
 Afghanistan
 not be able to safely communicate with
 service providers.

 Younger organizations may be more able
 to work with technology, though they often
 lack the resources, having had less time to
 develop the donor relationships and fun-
 ding sources.

 2.5. SOCIAL ASSETS AND
 I S O L AT I O N

 Respondents also described the effects of Women’s groups and organizations repor-
 isolation due to lockdowns, loss of work, ted being unable to convene meetings, de-
 or increased workloads. Women are being scribing being “robbed” of a sense of com-
 isolated from groups that are their sources munity and something vital to their work.
 of support and solace, and the witnesses to Despite seeing an increase in caregiving
 their lives. This loss of networks, conversa- responsibilities, women now have less per-
 tion, and access to informal information is sonal and community support to maintain
 detrimental to their sense of themselves, their mental well-being in a highly stressful
 their drive and aspirations, their opportu- time.
 nities, and their potential to dream a future
 for themselves to bring into being. Through
 the reversion to the patriarchal isolation
 of women from each other, their collecti-
 ve movement building and advocacy are
 undermined, and their capacity to act is
 diminished. Women lose exposure to the
 “dangerous ideas” of their own liberation
 and freedom.

 It was no longer possible to visit family,
 friends, or even local or national organi-
 zations because everyone was… believing
 that anyone arriving had the disease. We
 missed out on many opportunities and
 meetings within our organization due to
 this virus.
 Women’s Rights Organization
 Democratic Republic of the Congo

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3. GIVING AND RECEIVING
 CARE

 A third central theme in the survey was lack
 of access to services and fear around using
 the services that do exist. Many discussed
 the issue of services pivoting away from
 their core focus to offer pandemic care;
 they report that women’s services in par-
 ticular have suffered from this shift. These
 changes are happening in a context with
 increased levels of VAWG, fewer resources
 to pay for services, and a lack of services for
 women and girls specifically. As noted, a
 variety of gendered social norms also pre- We barely have time for our families because
 sent barriers to seeking care. you are needed to respond almost everywhe-
 re… we do get burn out.
 Leader of a Women‘s Organization
 South Sudan

 Women do not have access to services due to
 harassment or curfew while outside. These reported concerns highlight the
 Women-Led VAWG Organization amount of care work that women take on,
 Iraq
 both within women’s organizations and as
 individuals within their families and com-
 munities. The burden of addressing con-
 The increase in care work has been im- cerns that are not dealt with in mainstream
 mense during the pandemic, and yet its spaces––often with no additional funding
 importance has been continually unrecog- or support––is heavily gendered, and seen
 nized. Respondents also discussed caregi- as a “natural” responsibility of women and
 ving in the context of women being more their organizations.
 vulnerable to contracting the virus as they
 are more likely to be on the frontlines in The extraction, exploitation, and theft of
 healthcare work and taking care of those women’s labor and skills in the provision
 who are ill, as well as being afraid to access of care is the most significant stressor, af-
 health care services. fecting women’s access to resources, time,
 and employment, as well as their experien-
 ces of social stigma concerning their pro-
 ximity to the sickness. This reliance, and
 demand, that women provide care in the
 Access to health services is limited [due]
 private sphere is foundational in patriarchal
 to the lockdown and curfew, lack of trans-
 systems and the dynamic that underpins
 port,[and] facilities closed due to fear of the increases in the marriage of girls; they
 infection. can cease to be a fully equal person with
 Women‘s GBV Services needs of their own and instead become so-
 Uganda
 meone who is a reproductive resource for
 her husband and his family. It also makes
 Women whose levels of caregiving are in- it harder for her to be cared about and ca-
 creasing in their private lives are meeting red for, something that again reduces her
 similar demands for their skills and work in humanity. These dynamics were reported
 their public roles, with little or no support over and over by respondents, in every area
 in either domain. of the world.

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3.1. ACCESS TO SRH
 SERVICES

 Many respondents reported losses in ac- seek services is higher during the pan-
 cess to SRH services, with pregnant wo- demic, even without the logistical issues.
 men, women needing contraception, and Seeking services in relation to violence be-
 women living with HIV unable to get ac- comes even more difficult when there is
 cess to the care they need, due to reduced uncertainty about how those services are
 income to pay for services or transport to being delivered, a lack of accessible infor-
 services, restrictions on movement, the mation, and even fewer “public” functio-
 pivoting of clinics to pandemic response, ning health services to provide cover for
 or the need to be present in the home to women seeking help.
 care for others.

 It has become more difficult, not only be-
 What has changed is that most of the emp- cause health care is more focused on the
 hasis is placed on COVID-19 patients, and pandemic but also because SRH is neglected
 places that used to cater to SRH issues are overall. Abortion access is more challenging.
 now focusing on the pandemic instead. Women‘s Reproductive Health Organization
 Sierra Leone
 Women’s Organization
 Liberia
 These findings overlap with the findings
 around access to physical assets (techno-
 The absence of consistent or accessible logy and information), economic assets in
 information, alongside the practical and terms of reduced income, and the fiscal ca-
 logistical constraints, further discourages pacity to access services. This intersection is
 women from trying to sustain their con- also found in reference to childcare support
 nections with services. and lack of transport, which decreased wo-
 men’s ability to access these services. Go-
 Social stigma, the continued exposure to vernment and aid funding were reported
 violence, and realistic concerns about a as being redirected into the COVID-19 re-
 lack of confidentiality present further bar- sponse, even though VAWG resources are
 riers to services. At the best of times, it is already scarce and limited. These services
 difficult for women and adolescent girls to are not considered essential or integral in
 sustain their privacy with SRH services, and the pandemic response, and there is little
 during times of lockdowns and quaranti- consideration of the longer-term and wider
 ning it is even more difficult for women to impacts of this on women’s reproductive
 move around without their actions being and sexual health.
 noticed. The potential for women to be re-
 ported to their husbands when trying to
 Partners have become more violent and
 spousal relationships have [broken] down
 completely.
 Individual Respondent
 Iraq

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3.2. INCREASES IN FORMS
 OF VIOLENCE

 There is an increase in sexual and eco-
 Many respondents recognized the increa-
 nomic violence. They are seeking protec-
 ses in multiple forms of violence, from the
 pressure on women to see their daughters
 tion from abusers because safe spaces are
 married young as a way to take some of either closed or inaccessible. There is also
 the burdens away from the family, to se- a lot of violence stemming from partners
 xual exploitation in the context of women’s not providing for the household, leading
 collapsing incomes. The connection bet- to an increase in struggles for assets and
 ween women’s poverty and their exposure subduing of women to prove power over
 to sexual exploitation is a straightforward them.
 one and of grave concern to respondents. Women’s Organization
 Uganda

 We have seen discrimination, domestic vio- The lockdown and isolation policies imple-
 lence, FGM, forced and early marriages, se- mented in many countries put women at
 xual exploitation, and a shortage of jobs. a higher risk of domestic and sexual abuse
 as they are likely to spend more time with
 Women‘s Disability Rights Organization
 Somalia their abusers, while also suffering from
 loss of income, isolation, overcrowding in
 the home, and stress and anxiety.34 One
 An increase in IPV was reported across
 lamented that the global calls to “stay safe
 countries; women talked about how their
 at home” have overlooked the reality that
 mechanisms of safety were eroded in mul-
 home may be the site of the most violence.
 tiple ways through the pandemic and ab-
 This may be the starkest illustration of the
 out how insecure they are at home. The
 ways in which women and girls are margi-
 normal protections that provide them with
 nalized in the narratives of the pandemic
 some buttressing against violence—con-
 with their lived experience ignored.
 trol over their resources, friendships with
 other women, and access to services—are
 increasingly unavailable.

 3. 3. JUSTICE AS A FORM
 OF CARE

 Judicial systems and policing have largely The reversion to informal mechanisms of
 returned to the “traditional,” shifting VAWG justice does not serve the interests of wo-
 down the list of priorities as the world pi- men and girls either, embedded as they are
 vots to an enforcement of curfews and in patriarchal systems of men’s authority
 lockdowns. Authoritarian models of poli- and framing VAWG as an issue between
 cing and security work against the needs men, rather than against women and girls.
 of women and girls, reinforcing ideas of the As in other areas, the gains in access to jus-
 guardianship of men over their families and tice made in the period before the pande-
 relegating women and girls to the private mic are revealed to be fragile and precari-
 and domestic sphere. ous, and not holding up in times of crisis.

 Government agencies sit alone, dilly-dally
 with the issues, and stigmatize women-led
 and girl child organizations for being right
 in the field and reporting cases.
 End Child Marriage Association
 Kenya

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