BRAC Global COVID-19 Response

During the COVID-19 pandemic, you stepped up. Around the world, people’s lives were upended, but women and girls living in poverty were hit hardest—economically and socially. 

Because of generous donors like you, our emergency relief work to support women and girls affected by the pandemic has provided millions with urgent needs and support.

• Amid global shortages of personal protective equipment, there was a high demand for face masks in the Rohingya refugee settlements in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. BRAC trained Rohingya women in sewing and contracted them to make face masks, enabling them to earn an income and help protect their community.
• Community health workers doubled down to ensure their communities received critical services that BRAC provides, like psychosocial support, public health messages, and health services to stop the spread of the virus.
• To combat gender-based violence and early childhood marriage, community empowerment groups such as BRAC’s Polli Shomaj were a vital asset for supporting women experiencing gender-based violence and girls at risk of child marriage. 

No one comes out of a crisis without being changed in some way, and this pandemic was a crisis on a scale we have rarely seen. It has put years of progress in human development at risk; inequity is at its worst.

Moving forward, if we have to prioritize one thing, it should be ensuring that women and girls do not return to despair, teenage motherhood, inadequate access to health care, and premature death. They deserve the chance to flourish. That’s why we are shifting our focus to investing in the potential of women and girls. Your continued support will enable girls around the world to have access to health care, education, financial services, and job and life-skills training. Your support will empower women to better provide for their families, start a career, become entrepreneurs, and withstand climate and economic shocks. 

Thank you for standing with families affected by the crisis. None of this would be possible without your continued support.