COVID-19 and Essential Services Provision for Survivors of Violence Against Women and Girls - A Snapshot from the Arab States

This policy brief highlights emerging trends of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and implications for the provision of essential services (health, police and justice, social services and the coordination of these services) for women and girls experiencing violence. It provides examples of actions taken at the country level by service providers, including governments and civil society organizations to counter the disruption of services for women survivors of violence. These include promising practices from pilot and self-starter countries participating in the UN Joint Global Program on Essential Services for Women and Girls Subject to Violence and the rollout of its main guidance, the Essential Services Package.