The COVID-19 outbreak of 2020 wreaked havoc on the global economy, trade and many social aspects. Africa has not been immune. According to a report by Deloitte (2020), losses to the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are approximated at US$ 9 trillion. The same report predicts that countries in Eastern and Western Africa that have seen an increase in their GDP will have a decline in their GDP in 2020. With such decreases in GDP, the vulnerable and marginalized in society are likely to suffer the most, in particular African women who tend to be poorer and more marginalized than their male counterparts. They also have less access to economic opportunities, education, health and social services. This study aims to examine the status of women in the East African Community (EAC) with a view to comprehending how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected women, and to further investigate what policies and interventions have been instituted to address gender issues emerging from the pandemic crisis, and further identifying gender gaps in policies, including proposing new gender policies and interventions to address these gaps.
