As COVID-19 continues to disrupt the global economy and society, it becomes more evident that the pandemic is affecting women and men differently and that gender-balanced responses are necessary. Governments and humanitarian organizations have come together in creating strategies for responding to the challenges arising from the pandemic, including the gendered impacts that pose as a threat to the safety, welfare and economic standing of women worldwide. In more ways than one, the COVID-19 pandemic stands in the way of Women’s Economic Empowerment. In many ways, the coronavirus pandemic has affected women more than men. Reports of gender-based violence shared alarming results, sexual and reproductive health services were difficult to access, and President Rodrigo Duterte continued to make sexist remarks in his public addresses. The pandemic has also shown that many women continue to be underestimated when it comes to leadership roles. But that hasn’t ...