Key messages from this article:
- Lessons learned from previous disease outbreaks in conflict settings should be harnessed to mitigate gendered impacts of COVID-19 on populations in conflict-affected countries.
- During a pandemic, resources for and access to adequate health services are often disrupted due to armed conflict.
- Pandemics are a gendered vulnerability, with their socioeconomic impact disproportionately high-er among women particularly in conflict settings, where this vulnerability is exacerbated.
- Increased diversity and gender-balanced leadership is an essential requirement in key committees and in multilateral organisations in developing pandemic preparedness and responses.
- Intentionally cultivating and amplifying female lead-ership is paramount to creating effective leadership models and gender inclusive responses to improve outcomes for vulnerable populations in conflict settings.