July 2022 – Disparities in vaccine equity exist on a global scale but also within countries. In low-income countries, women have higher risk perception but lower levels of acceptance due to concerns about vaccine safety and efficacy, limited tailored information, and access-related challenges. In South Sudan, as of September 2021, 28% of people who had received a COVID-19 vaccine were women. This rate then increased markedly, reaching 41% by January 2022.

On the request of the UNICEF ESARO, Anthrologica published a brief to explore the reasons behind the low uptake amongst women during the initial phases of the roll-out and the contributing factors to the increase over time. This brief draws on evidence from academic and grey literature, dashboards and datasets on COVID-19 vaccine uptake, and consultations with partners working in the COVID-19 response. It also reviews some of the interventions to increase uptake amongst women and provides considerations for partners working on vaccine demand promotion.

In conclusion, the following are likely contributing psychological, social, and practical factors to the increase in uptake amongst women in South Sudan between September 2021 and January 2022:

• Partners shared accurate information about vaccines through women’s preferred channels to improve vaccine knowledge, awareness, and confidence.

• Women who had been vaccinated shared positive stories about their experiences.

• Trusted community leaders, health workers, and volunteers were trained to share vaccine information with communities.

• Vaccine availability has improved through greater supply and more decentralized distribution, making it easier and more convenient for women to access vaccination sites.

• Mobile outreach teams specifically targeting women have greatly contributed to a higher COVID-19 vaccination coverage amongst women.

Read the full brief and all infographics here.