Gendered effects of COVID-19 on young girls in regions of conflict

Abstract

The Series on Women's and Children's Health in Conflict Settings provides important guidance for addressing the health of women and children in areas of poor security and instability. However, we write to call special attention to the gender inequalities in areas of armed conflict and, in particular, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on young, school-age girls (aged 5–18 years). In settings of violent conflict, young girls are about 25 times more likely to be out of school than their male counterparts, and the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have exacerbated this disparity.1Georgetown Institute of Women, Peace, and SecurityAdolescent girls' access to education in conflict-affected settings.https://giwps.georgetown.edu/resource/closing-the-gap/Date: 2016Date accessed: January 24, 2021Google Scholar The pandemic has also had substantial indirect effects on levels of poverty and child malnutrition which appear to have fallen hardest on young girls. In some areas of civil conflict, the pandemic has increased the power of armed non-state groups that threaten girls' access to education and other public goods. Several of these groups, such as the Taliban in Afghanistan and Boko Haram in Nigeria, routinely threaten girls' education, at times even conducting acid attacks, kidnappings, and killings of young girls and their families.2Human Rights WatchAfghanistan: girls struggle for an education.https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/10/17/afghanistan-girls-struggle-education/Date: 2020Date accessed: January 24, 2021Google Scholar The pandemic has also destabilised the security situation in ways that have expanded the exploitation of young girls in the sex trade and as child soldiers, as was seen in Boko Haram's use of girls as young as 7 years as suicide bombers.3Bloom M Matfess H Women as symbols and swords in Boko Haram's terror.Prism. 2016; 1: 105-121Google Scholar The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been far-reaching, but its impact on the health and wellbeing of young girls in areas of conflict and political instability deserves focused, urgent attention. PHW was a contributor to the Lancet Series on Women's and Children's Health in Conflict Settings. We declare no other competing interests.