World over, the COVID-19 crisis has revealed the differences and similarity in vulnerability that exist in our societies. One, it has highlighted the structural differences that predispose people to disease. Two, it has highlighted our common vulnerability if these structural drivers of inequality are unattended to.

Emerging statistics relating to morbidity and mortality to COVID-19 in China and Italy clearly indicated a gender divide, showing that males were three times more likely to suffer from and succumb to the illness. Emerging data from the United Kingdom and the United States of America revealed that other than gender, morbidity and mortality had a racial dimension, with Black, Asian, Hispanics and Minority ethnic groups as being more vulnerable. These differences were not new to the observers, rather they revealed their persistent and hence structural nature, which needed to be attended to if everyone was to be safe. This technical brief examines the gender dynamics of the COVID-19 crisis and response in Uganda.

Uganda’s interventions to stem the spread of COVID-19 were praised by many, notably the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s Dr, Margret Harris, who praised Uganda as an example of countries in the world that are steadfast and quickly responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. The anti COVID-19 interventions however had gendered ramifications, which are examined in this brief.