Measuring the shadow pandemic: Violence against women during COVID-19

This publication compiles and analyses the results of Rapid Gender Assessment surveys on the impact of COVID-19 on violence against women (VAW RGAs) in 13 countries. UN Women led this study, in collaboration with Ipsos, with support from national statistical offices, national women’s machineries and a technical advisory group of experts to guide the overall survey process.

To address the challenges related to face-to-face data collection during lockdowns and restricted mobility periods, the VAW RGAs use innovative methods to collect VAW data remotely while observing safety and ethical protocols. The report confirms that COVID-19 has resulted in a significant increase in violence against women, negatively affecting women’s feelings of safety and mental health. Additional resources related to the report, including methodological note, endnotes and microdata can be found on the Women Count Data Hub.