JACOB KURTZER: My name is Jake Kurtzer and I’m the interim director of the Humanitarian Agenda. On behalf of the Global Health Policy Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, I welcome everyone in attendance. Today’s event is part of a feature series by the Humanitarian Agenda that discusses the impact of COVID-19 on the humanitarian space with leaders from across the spectrum. Today we are very grateful to have Michelle Nunn, president of CARE USA.
Today’s discussion takes place as the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the vulnerability of women and girls not only worldwide, but especially in humanitarian settings. Government interventions designed to mitigate the spread of the virus disproportionately affect women and girls with increased vulnerability to sexual and gender-based violence, among other concerns. The long-term lockdown measures potentially exacerbate already high statistics of SGDV in humanitarian contexts. COVID-19’s effect on the economic situation of low-income countries also has a significant and severe consequence for women, as does the limitation on sexual and reproductive health.
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