In March 2020, the first case of Covid-19 was reported in Zimbabwe. National lockdowns and restrictions on travel and businesses followed shortly thereafter. Despite these measures, the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases continued to rise, reaching over 257,000 by October 2022. The most significant impact of the Covid-19 crisis has been felt by impoverished women, who have lost vital income, suffered food insecurity, and had to shoulder more caregiving responsibilities. To evaluate the effectiveness of the government's Covid-19 mitigation and recovery policies, a team of local PEP researchers conducted a study using a computable general-equilibrium model. They found that government interventions helped to support vulnerable groups through targeted fiscal and sectoral policies, which can help the country build back better. There is, however, a need for more research to help the government improve women's retention and support in the labour market. Find out more about the research methods, findings and policy recommendations in the following PEP publications:
