13%

According to UNDP/UN Women, gender gaps in extreme poverty—already biased against women—will worsen as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. It is projected that the female poverty rate will skyrocket to 13% by the end of 2021. 

At Women for Women International, we know that the poverty trap is extremely difficult to escape—especially for women, and especially for women survivors of war and conflict. Every woman who joins our Stronger Women, Stronger Nations program receives a monthly stipend, so she can practice saving and making financial decisions. She also receives guidance in establishing or joining cooperatives, associations, or village savings and loan associations (VSLAs) so she and other women in her community can make the most of their earnings together. Coupled with vocational skills training needed to start and maintain her own business, a Women for Women International graduate is set up on a path of success. Graduates report daily personal earnings of $1.43 after graduation, compared to $0.77 at enrollment. 

In the wake of COVID-19, investing in women's financial success is crucial to stopping the poverty gap in its tracks.