The impact of COVID-19 on women's and men's lives and livelihoods in Europe and Central Asia: Preliminary results from a Rapid Gender Assessment

In response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the relatively limited data available, the UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, through the Making Every Woman and Girl Count global programme, developed a rapid survey assessment tool to assess the gendered impacts of COVID-19 on the main challenges faced by on women and men lives and livelihoods. The rapid gender assessment survey findings are intended to be used by countries/territories to inform, guide and support response planning and address the gendered impact of the pandemic. Furthermore, it is intended to identify gender gaps in the ongoing response and to serve as a baseline assessment for faster and more gender-sensitive interventions if future outbreaks happen.

The rapid gender assessment survey was rolled out between April and June 2020 in 16 countries/territories across the region. This report draws on the rapid gender assessment data collected in 10 countries/territories in the region: Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Moldova, North Macedonia and Turkey – which represent the three subregions of the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. A more comprehensive analysis on gender equality, encompassing data from all 16 ECA countries/territories, will follow whenever data is available. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Resident Coordinators among other partners supported the rapid gender assessment in several countries/territories across the region. Data collection at the country/territory level was also made possible through the generous support of the Governments of Canada, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the European Union.