Preparing for Disease X: Lessons Learned from the Gendered Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Pacific

Table of Contents

• Contents 5
• Figures and Boxes 7
• Figure 1: Proportion of People Who Noted Increased Time Spent on Doing Laundry and Cleaning Since the Onset of COVID-19, by Sex 18
• Figure 2: Proportion of People Who Noted Increased Time Spent on Feeding, Providing, Washing, Physical, and Medical Care for Children Since the Onset of COVID-19, by Sex 19
• Figure 3: Inflation in Pacific Countries, 2022 and 2023 25
• Figure 4: Government Consultation with Women’s Organizations 27
• Figure 5: Proportion of People Who Completed Two Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine as of November 2021 in Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Tonga, by Sex 31
• Figure 6: Women Employed in Health Occupations across the Pacific Region, 2010–2019 32
• Figure 7: Investments in Gender-Based Violence Policies and Programs in Response to COVID-19 38
• Figure 8: Gender-Sensitive Policy and Program Measures in Response to COVID-19 that Target Strengthening Gender-Based Violence Services 39
• Figure 9: Learners Affected by School Closures, Estimated, Male and Female 41
• Figure 10: Regional Data on Time Schools Spent in Closure Due to COVID-19, 2020 and 2021 42
• Box 1: Introduction to Disease X 15
• Box 2: The Cook Islands Social Protection System During the COVID-19 Pandemic 23
• Acknowledgments 8
• Abbreviations 9
• Executive Summary 10
• The Gendered Impacts of COVID-19 in the Pacific Region 11
• Recommendations 12
• Introduction 13
• Stage 1: Scan 13
• Stage 2: Evidence Mapping 14
• Stage 3: Analyze and Summarize the Evidence 14
• Limitations 14
• The Socioeconomic Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Women and Girls 16
• Social Protection 20
• The Gender Dimensions of the Economic Stimulus 24
• Voice, Agency, and Decision-Making During the Pandemic 27
• Women and Health 30
• Access to Vaccines 30
• Barriers to Accessing Health Systems 31
• Women Health Care Workers 32
• Disruptions in Access to Critical Women’s Health Services, Including Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights 33
• Access to COVID-19 Information and Prevention Measures 34
• Impacts of COVID-19 on Gender-Based Violence and Access to Services 36
• Gender-Based Violence Incidence Rates and Help-Seeking during the Pandemic 36
• Gender-Based Violence Services Availability and Accessibility 37
• Child, Early, and Forced Marriage and Early Pregnancy 40
• Impacts on Girls' Education 41
• Recommendations 43
• Preparing for Disease X and Beyond 43
• Gender-Sensitive Surveillance and Early Warning Systems 44
• Gender-Inclusive Preparedness 44
• Response, Recovery, and Building Resilience 46
• Glossary 49
• References 51