How are the Nordic countries handling the effects of COVID-19 on gender equality? The COVID-19 pandemic is presenting new challenges for gender equality, which has loomed large in Nordic gender equality co-operation since the outbreak of the pandemic. The risk of increased domestic violence when the community partially shuts down to reduce the spread of infection. Working life and the economy, unpaid care work and mental health issues are also areas that have been largely affected by the pandemic.

This publication summarises the knowledge produced thus far in the Nordic countries and brings together the gender equality initiatives and measures that the Nordic countries have initiated in relation to the pandemic. The publication aims to contribute to the sharing of knowledge and experience between the Nordic countries arising from the effects of the pandemic on gender equality. By learning from each other, the Nordic countries can decrease the risk for that the Corona crisis become a gender equality crisis.

The publication has been produced by Nordic Information on Gender (NIKK) and is based on data from the Nordic countries as well as interviews with researchers and experts.