Women RISE

The COVID-19 pandemic was particularly difficult for women, who lost jobs and livelihoods in larger numbers, and shouldered the burden of caregiving. Women RISE, or Women’s Health and Economic Empowerment for a COVID-19 Recovery that is Inclusive, Sustainable, and Equitable, was launched as a CAD24 million research initiative to address the issue. Led by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in partnership with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the initiative is funding 23 collaborative action research projects between Canada and low- and middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, and Asia.