Lotus Circle

San Francisco, April 8, 2020 — The gendered impact of Covid-19 continues to play out in countries and communities across the globe, with acute effects on women and girls. These include a dramatic rise in gender-based violence amidst quarantines and lockdowns, women’s loss of economic security, increased caregiving demands that fall largely on women, and the increased risks to women of illness as they comprise most of the frontline health and community workers. Jane Sloane, senior director for Women’s Empowerment at The Asia Foundation, said today, “Given the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on women and girls in Asia, we established a Covid-19 Lotus Rapid Response Fund to address the immediate gendered impacts of Covid-19. With The Asia Foundation’s network of 18 permanent country offices across Asia and our longstanding relationships with local partners, we’ve been able to identify urgent needs and mobilize quickly in response to what we’re seeing on the ground and to get resources where they’re most needed.” The Lotus Circle, a group of individual and corporate donors committed to The Asia Foundation’s work to advance women’s empowerment and gender equality across Asia raises flexible funds help pilot new initiatives and sustain and leverage funding for existing programs that benefit women and girls and advance gender equality. Activities supported by the Covid-19 Lotus Rapid Response Fund: Constructing new handwashing stations in Timor-Leste to support effective sanitation and hygiene practices outside crucial local organizations and services that support women, children, and people with disabilities. This includes areas where The Asia Foundation and its local partners are managing a long-term program to combat the high levels of violence against women in the country. These stations were under construction within 24 hours of funds being disbursed and are already meeting an urgent need. Supporting remote learning for young women scholars studying STEM in Laos and Cambodia including computers, internet credit, food and health supplies, and online mentorship to ensure their continued learning and connectivity for their course work and soft skills development. Supporting a domestic violence hotline in Indonesia, including providing virtual counseling, emergency supplies, and referrals for economic support… Read more