This helpdesk review sets out the available evidence on the political representation of women and women's rights organisations in COVID-19 decision-making. It examines levels of women's participation in decision-making spaces, their contribution to a more gender-sensitive response, and the general gendered impact of the pandemic.

The review asks what evidence there is that women and women's rights organisations are being marginalised in decision-making processes in the context of COVID-19, and what the consequences of that exclusion are for gender-sensitive responses. It closes with recommendations on how the engagement of women in the COVID-19 response can be improved.