In Zimbabwe, when 17-year-old Melissa’s school closed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic she was cut off from her studies and had to work to help support her family. Due to school closures and lockdown measures adolescent girls and young women like Melissa face increased barriers to access health services and are further at risk of gender-based violence, early pregnancy and contracting HIV. It is estimated that more than 5 million girls are at risk of not returning to school due to COVID-19 closures.