COVID-19 Sets Back Progress Made on the Welfare of Women and Diverse Populations

By March 2020, COVID-19 was confirmed present in all Latin American and Caribbean countries. Not only did the pandemic weakened the regions economy, it exacerbated structural inequalities. Women, indigenous peoples, African descendants, persons with disabilities and the LGBTQ community were disproportionately affected by the pandemic, reflecting both the vulnerability of these groups and the fragility of the progress made in recent years toward improving their social welfare. This document highlights the main lessons learned from IADB studies on the impact of the pandemic on these populations.