Paper short abstract:

This paper examines how the UN Joint RCCE project in Nigeria addressed the gendered impacts of COVID-19 through risk communication and social protection interventions. It analyzes the factors that enabled or constrained women’s access to and benefits from the project

Paper long abstract:

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the existing gender inequalities and vulnerabilities in Nigeria, especially for women in marginalized communities. The UN Joint RCCE project in Nigeria aimed to mitigate the socio-economic and health effects of the pandemic by providing risk communication, community engagement, and social protection activities for the most at-risk women, adolescent girls, and vulnerable groups. This paper evaluates the design and implementation of the project, focusing on the social protection component that involved unconditional small grants for women. It draws on literature review, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions to assess the outcomes and challenges of the project. It identifies the factors that influenced women’s access to and benefits from the project, such as awareness, eligibility, targeting, delivery, accountability, and empowerment. It also discusses the implications of the project for social justice and development in a polarizing world. The paper contributes to the panel theme by providing empirical evidence and lessons learned on how social protection programs can intersect with gender to build the agency and economic resilience of the vulnerable to climate change and other shocks. It also offers recommendations for improving the design and implementation of future social protection interventions in Nigeria and beyond.