Impact of COVID-19 on Women and Girls

In early December 2019, an outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) occurred in Wuhan city and then, it spread rapidly throughout China, putting the whole world on alert. As of today, June 10, it has spread to 213 countries and territories with a total of over 70 lakhs infected cases and over 4 lakhs of death cases. Nepal accounts for a total of 4,364 cases and 15 deaths currently on 79th day of lockdown.

This pandemic is deepening pre-existing inequalities, exposing the vulnerabilities in social, political and economic systems which are in turn amplifying the impacts of the pandemic. Across every sphere, from health to economy, security to social protection, the impacts of COVID-19 are exacerbated for women and girls simply by virtue of their sex.

   Health of women is adversely impacted through reallocation of resources and priorities. The priority has shifted to daily food needs, being and keeping safe and the scarce resources are shifted to the livelihood. No access to transportation, less prioritization of women's health, delay in reaching health facilities and inability to get appropriate medical care has resulted high maternal morbidity and mortality. As of 79th day of lockdown, 33 maternal deaths and 205 newborn deaths have occurred in Nepal due to these reasons.

    Economic and social stress coupled with restricted movement and social isolation has increased gender-based violence exponentially. Women and children are forced to withstand the continuing abuses from their own family members and are not being able to reach the services or supports. Adolescent girls are spending significantly more time on household chores than on learning and education. It is certain that they will dropout and not return to school even after crisis is over. Social isolation, economic hardship, loss of employment, future insecurity, pessimistic thoughts, and risk of debt has increased the rate of suicide among people. Recent data by Government of Nepal has shown that, a total of 1106 cases of suicide have been recorded in past 78 days, 396 being females and 86 young girls.

          In fragile and economically insecure Nepalese society where social cohesion is already undermines and institutional capacity and services are limited, the impacts of this pandemic are further amplified, especially to women and girls with poor access and poor delivery of sexual and reproductive health services, one can easily anticipate the increased incidence of unsafe abortion, unplanned pregnancy, teenage pregnancy resulting increased morbidity and mortality.

   It can easily be estimated that, women's economic and productive lives will be affected, disproportionately and differently from men. Women's return to their pre-crisis employment, travel, livelihood and economic security is questionable. Even during the crisis, the frontline female health workers, including the female doctors, nurses, midwives, community health workers, the supporting staffs are combating crisis differently than male counterparts. The unsafe and substandard quarantine zones have become the place to breed gender-based violence and sexual violence. Unavailability of women-friendly health services, living space, sanitation, nutrition and security has increased morbidity and mortality in quarantines themselves.

     Moreover, the more vulnerable groups of women; the old age, women with disabilities, the adolescents, single and widowed women are facing more crisis, physically, mentally as well as socially. Those women with underlying health conditions like diabetes, heart diseases are at more risk of mortality associated with COVID-19. Also, the death of post-natal mothers and identified COVID-19 positive only after death has shaken the country. This pandemic has threatened women's basic rights to health, sexual and reproductive health rights, the right to 'basic and emergency obstetric care' and safe abortion rights.

    As every pandemic, COVID-19 has amplified and highlighted the social, economic and health impacts, resulting the increased vulnerability, morbidity and mortality of women. Thus, every plan, policy and program, recovery package, budget allocation in this pandemic should address the gender impacts. Including women and women's welfare-oriented organizations in those policies, designing socio-economic plans with an intentional focus on the lives and future of women and girls are source of the crucial actions to be taken to support a more rapid and sustainable recovery and to rebuild more equal inclusive and resilient societies.