IWDA Submission: Inquiry Into The Implications Of The Covid-19 Pandemic For Australia’s Foreign Affairs, Defence And Trade

IWDA welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to this inquiry into the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on Australia’s foreign policy. The impacts of COVID-19 are deeply gendered, and any response to the pandemic – both the immediate response and longer term efforts – must take into account the ways in which the pandemic is impacting diverse women and girls across health, economic and social dimensions.

This submission will outline the implications of the COVID-19 crisis for Australia’s foreign affairs, defence and trade policy, provide evidence to support this analysis via the impact of COVID-19 on human rights in Asia and the Pacific and threats to the global rules based order, making recommendations as to the policy and practical measures required for an ongoing national framework for resilience throughout.