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By Doris Obinna and Henry Uche
The Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) has identified gender specific gaps in COVID-19 response by the federal government particularly during the lockdown as it affects women and the girl child badly. They made this known at a roundtable webinar on Mental and Pyscho- social issues and support for Women/ Girl child in Lagos.
The National General Secretary, Otuodichinma Ijeoma Nweke, pointed out that the national response on COVID-19 was primarily centered on disease surveillance and prevention of infection transmission; which is an understandable approach; however it missed the community response link that brings to bare the holistic approach to epidemic control.
The national general secretary maintained that the non- pharmaceutical measure introduced by the federal government to contain the spread of the COVID-19; like the total lock down were very critical for controlling the pandemic, but it posed gender disparity with associated increased risk in domestic violence, abuse and sexual exploitation, worst still the economic hardship for women especially vulnerable women who depend on daily income to have meals on their table.
According to her, the unfortunate situation invariably increased the inability of women to meet their needs and their family with subsequent increase in the incidence of domestic violence. The lockdown further restricted their movement therefore confined women and girls in abusive and unhealthy relationship.
Nweke highlighted a call for action to ameliorate the plights of women and the girl child, noting that the COVID-19 response task team must expand its diseases surveillance and prevention of infection transmission approach to a broader community engagement and response approach to allow all inclusive approach and integration of gender lens into the COVID-19 response.
She suggested, “the COVID-19 response must recognised the existing gender inequality with associated gender-based violence (GBV) and build a response approach that recognises women and girls as vulnerable population that needs additional support in term of access to accurate information, psycho-social and mental health support services.
“The ministry of health and gender focused NGOs must continue to advocate for the integration of GBV and mental health support services as core component of COVID-19 lockdown response and for future health emergencies.
“Help lines and call centers should be established by government agencies like the ministry of women affairs, ministry of youths, NGOS and human rights groups that will accept calls on a 24hours/7days basis from people especially women and girls that seek psycho- social and mental health support services.
She added that the ministry of women affairs in collaboration with the ministry of health and civil society organizations should develop simple literacy materials that can empower young women and girls to access help with GBV- highlighting the resources within the state to navigate with GBV in situation of health emergencies.
“The ministry health and relevant agencies and stakeholders must intensify the implementation of differentiated service delivery model for the HIV and contraceptive services in COVID-19 response and future health emergencies.
“Social protection, palliative and personal protective equipment distribution must give priority to women and girls as front-line responders at the family and community level for COVID-19 and future health emergencies,” she urged.
She affirmed that, in line with its core objectives, YWCA would pay more attention to women who have suffered violence, women in IDPs or returnees, women in rural areas, women who suffer HIV, women in ethnic minority, out of school girls, orphans, migrant workers among others.
“We want to make impact on humanity with the resources within our reach. We are calling on like minds to key in the vision to give these set of people reason to live. We are moving across geographical boundaries down to the hinterlands, we are not leaving any stone unturned to achieve these,” she affirmed.
Meanwhile, the immediate past national president of YWCA, Lady Chikwue Ochiagha, called on the federal government of Nigeria to consider and enforce the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights Act, ratified by Nigeria government and other indigenous laws in 1999 constitution which implicitly recognises peoples’ Right to adequate food, Right to life, Right to health, Right to economic and social development amongst others while making decisions and policies.
Ochiagha, in her presentation said the economic assistance that the government offered in response to the virus, exposed inadequacies in Nigeria’s social protection systems and risks excluding the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people.
According to her, despite various promises to the vulnerable by the government, the non disclosure of key details of the cash transfer programme has cast doubt on how many people it included and who will benefit or those who benefitted.
“Obviously the Rights of the people have not been met. Under International human Rights law, Nigeria’s government has obligation to protect people’s Right to an adequate standard of living, including adequate food and nutrition, the highest attainable standard of health, and the Right to social security. This is to ensure respect for human Rights,” Ochiaghai said.
She maintained that government is obligated to ensure access to food, water, health care, and other basic needs for everyone at all times and in particular those subjected to lockdown and other severe restrictions on movement, but Nigerians had a horrible experience during the lockdown.
“Nigeria’s government should urgently develop a plan to deliver social and economic assistance to the tens of millions of people who lost income due to covid-19 particularly informal workers (mainly women) and who lack an adequate social safety net. Not doing this violates their Right to social security as enshrined in International Human Rights Law. This plan should be developed in consultation with community- based organisations with experience serving people living in poverty,
“Government should also clearly communicate its economic relief plans or actions to the public and clarify eligibility, timeline, and procedures deploy more resources, creativity, and transparency to ensure the basic necessities of life for everyone,” she stated.
