Islamabad: COVID-19 response must take the specific needs and vulnerabilities of women into consideration as women, who already face many hurdles in accessing health care, are likely to have heightened exposure to the virus as the burden of caring for the ill often falls on them.
The implications of COVID-19 on women and possible solutions are highlighted in a policy brief prepared by the Ministry of Human Rights, in collaboration with UN Women and National Commission on the Status of Women (NSCW). The recently released policy brief explores the “Gendered Impact and Implications of Covid19 in Pakistan.” The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the specific vulnerabilities that women and girls face in lieu of the Coronavirus as well as broad policy recommendations to mitigate immediate risks and prevent the exacerbation of existing gender gaps.
The brief says that prolonged school closures due to Covid-19 are adversely effecting education and could exacerbate gender inequalities in educational attainment. It also highlights the importance of encouraging women to visit hospitals and clinics for pre and postnatal checkups as well as keeping them informed about prevention protocols and the conditions in which they should seek medical help and care in order to avoid complications during delivery.
With regard to strong evidence that suggests that emergency measures instituted to cope with epidemics increases the risk of domestic abuse, the brief recommends that gender-based violence services are integrated in response efforts as essential services.
The brief also highlights the importance of including female leadership in policy making and response efforts. Representation from women commissions and women development departments should be ensured in decision-making bodies and gender parity should be promoted in recruitment of staff and volunteers for COVID-19 response teams.
The policy document reminds stakeholders of the dire need to generate sex disaggregated data and primary micro-level research required for effective policy making. It says that lack of disaggregated data hinders targeted and effective relief response in times of crisis and humanitarian emergency.
The brief mainly delves into the larger political, social and economic impacts of Covid-19 and presents an analysis of the potentially disproportionate impact on women and girls with a focus on 6 key thematic areas: education, health, labour force participation, time use and mobility, financial empowerment, and gender-based violence.
The policy brief emphasizes reducing the impact on girls’ education through ‘tele-school initiatives’ and increased public and private partnerships to develop learning content and increase accessibility of learning materials to children through computers, televisions and smart phones. Moreover, it outlines specific measures that could be utilized to encourage girls in rural areas to return to school once the situation normalizes.
Another important policy recommendation contained in the brief is that of ensuring the continuation of basic and reproductive health services for women. It also highlights the importance of devising mechanisms for providing regular support to the more vulnerable segments of the labour market and building economic resilience amongst women.
It says that most women in the labour force are part of the informal low wage market, home based workers, or work for small and medium size enterprises and thus suffer from low income security and a lack of access to safety nets and social protection in times of crisis. It points out that targeted cash and loan programmes as well as access to financial services is a critical area of intervention to mitigate the risks and impact of Covid19 on women in Pakistan. Such efforts are already underway through the Ehsaas Programme and the PM COVID Relief Fund. The policy brief says that restriction on mobility warrant adapted solutions to GBV service provision i.e. a shift towards remote and technology-based support.
In her comments regarding the policy brief, Minister for Human Rights, Shireen Mazari, has emphasized the importance of ensuring that access to GBV services in not interrupted. “Women are more vulnerable during a lockdown because they often have to live with abusers and may find it difficult to even call for help.
The Ministry of Human Rights has ensured that our helpline and women crisis shelters remain operation during the crisis, with specific protocols in place to prevent the spread of the virus. We are also working towards ensuring that the police, health workers, and social workers are responding to the specific and critical needs of women during this time.”
Secretary for Human Rights, Rabiya Javeri Agha, has urged stakeholders to adopt a gender integrated approach to the COVID-19 response at multiple levels. “This policy brief and gender analysis should serve as an essential resource document to guide stakeholders to effectively address gender inequalities emerging in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic in Pakistan.”
