A gender analysis of 477 government socio-economic policy responses adopted in 18 countries and territories in Europe and Central Asia over the first year of COVID-19, reveals that only 7 per cent specifically reference women and can be classified as gender-sensitive. This calls for governments to prioritize gender-responsive policy responses in the context of COVID-19 and emergencies. Measures recorded were in relation to social protection, labour market, and economic, fiscal and business stimulus.

This brief provides a short overview of first-year achievements of the 3-year programme “EU 4 Gender Equality: Together Against Gender Stereotypes and Gender-Based Violence”. The programme seeks to strengthen equal rights and opportunities for women and men by shifting social perceptions around gender roles, tackling gender stereotypes, and increasing men’s participation in childcare and other domestic responsibilities.

This programme brief details the scope, objectives, and activities of the three-year “EU 4 Gender Equality: Together Against Gender Stereotypes and Gender-Based Violence” programme funded by the European Union and implemented jointly by UN Women and UNFPA in six Eastern Partnership countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.