The COVID-19 crisis consequences: disrupting the African peace and security agenda

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This piece focuses on the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the African agenda for peace and security. Since its inception, the African Union (AU) has been focused on creating favourable conditions of peace and security as part of its broader Agenda 2063 for achieving “an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens, representing a dynamic force in the international arena”. In adopting its Silencing the Guns flagship project in 2013,…

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COVID-19 and the rise of intimate partner violence

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Stay-at-home policies have been implemented worldwide to reduce the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, there is a growing concern that such policies could increase violence against women. We find evidence in support of this critical concern. We focus on Peru, a country that imposed a strict nationwide lockdown starting in mid-March and where nearly 60% of women already experienced violence before COVID-19. Using administrative data on phone calls to the helpline for domestic violence…

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WFP Global Response to COVID-19: September 2020

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The COVID-19 pandemic is a multiplier of vulnerability, compounding threats to food insecurity, while exposing weaknesses in food and health systems. It is severely undermining the capacity of communities to cope in times of crisis and has become a stress test for political and economic stability. Although conflict and insecurity remain the main drivers of hunger, the added dimension of COVID-19 is exacerbating the ability of affected communities to cope. A drastic reduction of livelihood…

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COVID-19 emergency measures and the impending authoritarian pandemic

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COVID-19 has brought the world grinding to a halt. As of early August 2020, the greatest public health emergency of the century thus far has registered almost 20 million infected people and claimed over 730,000 lives across all inhabited continents, bringing public health systems to their knees, and causing shutdowns of borders and lockdowns of cities, regions, and even nations unprecedented in the modern era. Yet, as this Article demonstrates—with diverse examples drawn from across…

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COVID-19 and the impact on civil society organisations working to end violence against women and girls

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This brief is intended to inform United Nations Member States, United Nations organizations, policymakers, donors and all other partners working on preventing and ending violence against women and girls (VAW/G) about the urgent need to address surging rates of violence in the context of COVID-19. The brief provides a second assessment, following a baseline assessment in March 2020, and is intended to highlight the immediate need for resources to support women and girl survivors.  …

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Covid-19 and Fragile Contexts: Reviving Multilateralism’s Promise to “Leave No One Behind”

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Covid-19 and Fragile Contexts: Reviving Multilateralism’s Promise to “Leave No One Behind” is an Economist Intelligence Unit report, published by the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Through comprehensive desk research, literature reviews and expert interviews, the report investigates the critical failures of the multilateral system in protecting fragile populations during the covid-19 pandemic. Drawing comparisons between the covid-19 response and previous global crises, the report evaluates fundamental shortcomings of the system across three pivotal areas: (1)…

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Responding to COVID-19 in Africa: Using data to find a balance (Part II)

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Six months into the COVID-19 pandemic, governments have had to make tough decisions about how best to protect the public’s health first and foremost, while also safeguarding livelihoods and reducing the social harm that can come with bringing many society activities to a near halt. Generally, African Union (AU) Member States have confirmed fewer cases per capita compared to other regions of the world. Reported cases peaked in late July and early August—driven by the…

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Crisis? What crisis? COVID-19 and the unexpected recovery of regional trade in East Africa

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At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, such was the scale of the economic disruption caused by lockdown measures that there was much talk of the collapse of global trade. In the midst of the lockdowns, in April, the World Trade Organization estimated that the decline would amount from anywhere between 13 and 32 percent. In a similar vein, UNCTAD was forecasting a 20 percent decline in global trade for 2020. However, recently released trade…

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Tracking the Trillions: 6-month checkup on IMF’s COVID-19 emergency aid

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The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated already staggering levels of economic inequality in many countries around the world. Now there is a real risk that trillions of dollars meant to support those hardest hit by the crisis may be captured by the wealthy, increasing inequality as countries are saddled with public debt for money lost to corruption. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has lent US$89 billion to over 80 countries since March. The Fund has sought…

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International funding for peacebuilding: Will COVID-19 change or reinforce existing trends?

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COVID-19 has exacerbated factors influencing international support for peacebuilding, including a more volatile geopolitical order and changes in domestic priorities in donor countries. Peacebuilding and a conflict-sensitive approach have not yet been at the forefront of the international responses to COVID-19, undermining attempts to ‘build back better’ in a world where negative conflict dynamics are increasingly apparent. This paper takes stock of trends in financial support for peacebuilding, building on ECDPM’s 2018 study ‘Supporting peacebuilding…

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