Even before President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in early July, the already politically unstable Caribbean country was in turmoil. Last year, it had to contend with COVID-19; Tropical Storm Laura, which killed dozens, damaged thousands of homes and destroyed crops; and intensifying gang violence that has forced nearly 20,000 to flee.

Nearly every morning for the past six years Gabriela Gonzales has been going to the Honorio Delgado Community Mental Health Centre (CMHC) in the Jesús María neighborhood. She is a psychiatrist who treats survivors of gender-based violence, a population that has risen during pandemic lockdowns.

The pandemic has affected women’s access to family planning information and services around the world, particularly in marginalized communities. Yet at the same time, many women around the world say the pandemic and its economic fallout have compelled them to delay or forgo desired pregnancies.