The COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to contain it have threatened livelihoods, introduced new occupational risks and increased the precariousness of labour relations, especially for women. At the beginning of the pandemic, in addition to the recommended preventative measures, Benin established a "sanitary cordon" that separated the south from the hinterlands to reduce the spread spread of the virus. These measures also slowed economic activities and disrupted social relations at all levels. Women have been particularly affected and were victims of an upsurge in gender-based violence.

The overall objective of the project is to study the differentiated effects of COVID-19 and the sanitary cordon by gender and among women's socio-economic groups, shedding light on the increased risks of multifaceted violence they have faced. Combining quantitative and qualitative methods, the project will use primary and secondary data sources and various collection techniques such as surveys and individual and group interviews. Expected results include contributing to policy formulation and guiding government interventions for gender equality and gender-based violence. In addition, the project will strengthen the capacities of the next generation of women in research and intervention through the awarding of scholarships to women for training in Benin and Canada. 

This project is funded by the Women RISE initiative (Women’s health and economic empowerment for a COVID-19 Recovery that is Inclusive, Sustainable, and Equitable), funded by IDRC, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. The initiative aims to support gender-transformative and action-oriented research conducted by teams of researchers from low- and middle-income countries and Canada.