Empowered Aid: Reducing Risks Of Sexual Exploitation And Abuse In Aid Distribution Uganda

The Empowered Aid Uganda COVID-19 Update (April 2020) emphasizes that the pandemic significantly worsened the risk of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) for refugee women and girls. As resources became scarce and movement was restricted, existing power imbalances between aid providers and recipients intensified. Critically, COVID-19 safety measures—like social distancing—disrupted the primary protective strategies women already used, such as traveling in groups or having "buddies" present during aid worker home visits.