In this episode, Caroline Masboungi interviews Merheen Jaswal from IRC and Dorcas Erskine from UNICEF. They talk about the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent girls and how their safety towards GBV has been affected.  Early evidence indicates that COVID-19 pandemic has increased risks of adolescent girls towards GBV. Studies of past disease outbreaks and other humanitarian crisis have shown that without targeted intervention, COVID-19 will heighten pre-existing risks of GBV against girls, hinder their social, economic and educational development and threaten their sexual reproductive health.

Related resources:

• Briefing note on COVID-19 – GBV risks to adolescent girls and interventions to protect and empower them
• Technical Guidance Note on Women and girls safe spaces for COVID-19
• UNICEF (2020) Practical tips on engaging Adolescents and Youth in the COVID-19 response [Online] [Accessed July 2020]
• Girl Shine 
• Safeguarding considerations for keeping in contact with girls during Covid
• WPE Podcast on responding to women and girls during COVID-19