The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is considered to be the most alarming health crisis
that the world has grappled with in decades since it was first  detected in China’s Hubei Province in late
December 2019.

In Nigeria, the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Lagos State on 27 February 2020. Since then,
the country has seen a spread to all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

While there is no clear gender-responsive data globally on mortality, early evidence suggests that people with pre-existing medical conditions (e.g. asthma, diabetes and heart disease) and older people are most likely to become severely ill upon contracting the virus, with higher prevalence rates among men.

There are impacts related to access to health care, accurate information and WASH services; a reduction in livelihood/income opportunities; disruption of children’s education; interruption of live-saving sexual and reproductive health services; and increased household violence (both intimate partner and other domestic
violence). All of these impacts disproportionately affect women and girls.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, North East Nigeria had already been devastated by the ongoing humanitarian crisis, which has been classified as one of the most severe in the world today.

UN Women, CARE International and Oxfam conducted a joint Rapid Gender Analysis in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States to understand the gender-related and comparative impact of COVID-19 on women, men, boys and girls. The purpose of the Rapid Gender Analysis was to inform the design, programming, implementation
and monitoring of humanitarian response towards COVID-19, particularly for them North East region and the analysis overall goal was to identify and analyse the different current and potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on women, men, girls and boys, and on certain other vulnerable populations in the target States.

For more findings and recommendations from the analysis; visit nigeria.oxfam.org