A recent report United Nations Women found that 31 million additional global gender-based violence cases can be expected if COVID-19’s social-distancing efforts are maintained for six more months.

It is shown that in the first 100 days of COVID-19, the gender inequalities that exist in all countries across Asia and the Pacific are being exacerbated. Calls to victim services in Malaysia have increased by 57%, while calls to support services in Singapore have increased by 33%.

Furthermore, the pandemic is likely to undermine efforts to end gender-based violence in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, set to be reached by 2030. The UN’s data mapping estimates that COVID-19 is likely to cause a one-third reduction in progress towards reaching this goal. The research further states that, for every three months the lockdown continues, an additional 15 million cases are expected.

Read the full report: Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on family planning and ending gender-based violence, female genital mutilation and child marriage.