Towards inclusive recovery policies: mainstreaming gender and intersectionality in pandemic policymaking

María López Belloso and Sofia Strid

Chapter Spotlight 15 in Research Handbook on Gender Mainstreaming, 2026, pp 502-505 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Gender mainstreaming is a core principle of the European Union and European policymaking. However, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed significant limitations in the integration of gender equality and intersectionality in policymaking in times of crisis. This spotlight analyses how multiple inequalities, such as gender, race, class, disability, and migration status – and their intersections – were addressed, if at all, in national recovery and resilience plans (NRRPs) across Europe. It is based on the analysis of 30 European NRRPs. It highlights the uneven attention given to gender+ issues across policy areas and critiques the fragmented application of intersectionality in crisis response policies. The findings reveal that, while some NRRPs address gender+ inequalities, many lack comprehensive measures to tackle intersecting inequalities effectively. The analysis underscores the importance of adopting an integrated intersectional approach to policymaking that moves beyond tokenistic mentions of gender equality and provides critical insights into advancing gender+ mainstreaming in future crisis management and recovery efforts.

Keywords: Gender Mainstreaming; Intersectionality; Gender; Crisis Policymaking; COVID-19; National Recovery and Resilience Plans; NRRPs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035353415
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