Left Out and Left Behind: Ignoring Women Will Prevent Us From Solving the Hunger Crisis

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are exposing the existing flaws in food systems, many of which stem from gender inequalities and the unfair treatment of women and girls. Rising hunger and food shortages are also putting additional burdens on women, from mental health risks to gender-based violence. This report, based on a CARE analysis of 73 global reports proposing solutions to the hunger pandemic, shows that responses to COVID-19 and related hunger crises are either ignoring women and girls or treating them as victims who have no role in addressing the problems they face. The report includes recommendations for governments, donors and UN agencies in order to curb the hunger pandemic, address its disproportionate effects on women and girls, and ensure that responses are locally-led, women-led, and explicitly address gender inequality.