As the COVID-19 pandemic makes it even harder to earn a living, research on the gender impact of Coronavirus shows that the loss of economic opportunities is more dramatic for women, who already faced an insecure and unstable situation in Iraq.

Women typically earn less and can save less. This makes it difficult for women to weather the economic storm caused by the pandemic and has resulted in a spike in women's unemployment.

Together with our local partners, we provide safe spaces for women to gain the skills they need to earn their own money. With the support of Qudra 2, the University of Koya offered practical training for 20 women on the production of sanitisers and soaps. The training was designed to promote job opportunities for 20 female youth, including a training module on business start-ups and fighting the pandemic.

In parallel, supported by Qudra 2, Medical World Factory provided on-the-job training on the industrial production of urgently required personal protective equipment (PPE). 45 unemployed youth, primarily women from vulnerable groups in Daratoo, Erbil, participated in the training.

At Kurd Moda factory, Qudra 2 initiated a second round of training for another 20 unemployed women on designing clothes and PPE. The 15 women who completed the first round of training, which we highlighted in a previous newsletter, all found employment at the Kurd Moda factory.

Qudra 2, together with local partners in the private sector, continues to support women, protect them from the negative socio-economic impact of the pandemic, and improve their wellbeing.