One of Africa’s youngest cabinet members to date is experiencing a baptism of fire.

Emma Theofelus, 23, was appointed Namibia’s information, communication and technology deputy minister a week after coronavirus hit Namibian shores. “I have literally been learning on the job so far,” she says.

Part of Theofelus’s role is to help lead communication to the public on preventative steps against the pandemic.

The Icelandic Prime Minister, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, participated in a UN conference on the impact of COVID-19 on gender equality and the status of women, Fréttablaðið reports. She highlighted the increased risk of domestic violence, the pivotal role women play in the healthcare system and the additional economic and social pressures women are facing during the pandemic.

The new virtual parliament, which started this week, could have unintended positive consequences for achieving gender equality in politics. Parliament was created by men, for men. The procedures, the structure, the culture – all created without a thought that one day, women would be making legislation too.

Women are on the frontline in the battle against the coronavirus, says Dr. Thoraya Obaid, chair of Women 20, an official G20 engagement group.

“It is important that G20 leaders explicitly discuss and recognize the role women are playing in fighting the pandemic, and the impact the fight has on them as health care system users,” Obaid told Arab News on Thursday.

On Sunday, Marise Payne left no one in doubt that Australia will use its suppression of the coronavirus to push its diplomatic weight on the world stage. After spending weeks working on getting stranded Australians home, the foreign affairs minister will now turn her attention to advancing Australia's interests in the post-COVID-19 world.

From patrolling checkpoints to answering emergency calls, women serving in security sector agencies continue to undertake vital work across Jordan alongside their male colleagues, supporting citizens and carefully applying critical mitigation measures against the spread of COVID-19.