For BARMM, lockdowns and quarantines have caused work stoppages, reduced working hours and unemployment, hitting those in the informal sector – predominantly women – the hardest. Reduction in income has led to difficulty in accessing food, education, and healthcare. Almost 40% of respondents in a UNDP survey have family members dropping out of school. 62% felt that access to hospitals became more difficult. In addition to socioeconomic conditions, the pandemic has affected the peace and transition process. Together with pressures to social, economic, and political dynamics in BARMM, the COVID-19 crisis is aggravating existing and emerging vulnerabilities in the region.
