Gender-based impacts of COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

The lasting educational and economic impacts of COVID-19 have disproportionally disadvantaged girls on the fringes of society, extending beyond the period of imposed lockdowns. This study delves deeper into the education, socio-economic, and gender-specific effects of the COVID-19 pandemic within the context of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The research illuminates how the pandemic has influenced economic activities and the roles of teachers, parents, and students in the educational process. Furthermore, the paper examines the efficacy of distance learning across diverse media in SSA. The findings suggest that children from rural settings might have limited resources to adapt and continue their education during school closures. Marginalized girls are substantially more likely than their male counterparts to leave school altogether due to these closures, placing girls and women at a heightened risk of experiencing the most severe outcomes of the pandemic. Female education has been notably disrupted due to the rise in child labor, violence, and pregnancies amidst the pandemic.