COVID-19; Women And Girls More At Risk

COVID-19 is presently the most threatening issue on planet earth, with its infection and death rates extremely alarming. This virus has paralyzed activities across the world, disrupting the underdeveloped, developing and developed nations alike.

This pandemic is highly contagious and has led to lockdowns across numerous cities and nations. These lockdowns have been described by many as a difficult yet necessary strategy to contain the spread and manage the existing cases.

From time untraced, women and girls have had to suffer all forms of dehumanization, marginalization, abuse, and rape. These inhuman actions and perpetrations take place in different spaces, time, and situations making almost no space a safe one for women and girls across the world. 

A great percentage of Women in Nigeria, across the global south and the world at large, are either sole breadwinners or supporting the breadwinners in their homes. These women are responsible for the well being of their families, directly or indirectly. 

Even with all efforts being put in, these women are barely appreciated by their families and their societies.

Women and girls are at risk of all forms of abuse even in their homes. Rape and all forms of Abuse in homes are perpetrated by family members who are at this time also seeking refuge in the same space. With the world, busy fighting coronavirus, abusive partners, parents, guardians, siblings, neighbors, and relatives would find it timely to abuse their victims who are now in a lockdown with them.

This leaves more women and girls at a higher risk of being sexually assaulted and abused in different ways. This situation further endangers women and girls as they are mandated to stay locked down for their safety, in the same space with their abusers. This makes it a bigger nightmare as life would remain miserable for these women and girls, some of who might not step out of the lockdown alive. 

Taking into full cognizance, the low literacy rate of women in Nigeria, it becomes an extreme challenge to communicate the state of the world and the required safety precautions to take at this time. Illiterate women are forced to stay locked down without adequate information to sustain themselves and their families alike.

Most of these women are low-income earners, which makes it difficult for them to stock up their homes with enough food items to last the duration of the lockdown. This increases their tendencies to look for minor jobs even with the high risk of contracting the virus. Raising money at this time equally suggests moving around to food shops and vendors to buy and provide for their families. 

The issue of unpaid care labor is making great conversations for feminists in Nigeria, yet little differences have been made so far. A large population of people in Nigeria still attribute house chores to a certain gender. With social distancing and lockdowns in cities, people are forced to stay home with families as a safety mechanism.  Staying home all day and all night long will undoubtedly increase the level of unpaid care labor that women will be subjected to. Some of these women, who would be subjected to this labor are still expected to work officially from home, making it extremely overwhelming.

There is an urgent need for governments to provide support through this time for their citizens. As much as little support is provided through the provision of relief materials, it is very important that women and girls be supported and protected from their abusers in their homes especially at this time.  

It is undeniable that these things happen, and totally unfair to let it triumph.

States should find easier ways to communicate with the illiterates in a language they would understand without a hitch. State governments with existing abuse report call lines should strengthen the response rates and reassure the safety of their citizens. For state governments who are yet to take the necessary measures, it is not too late to take this bold step to betterment.

Creating a toll-free line and Enforcing urgent response to issues regarding rape and abuse will cost little and should be done with a  great level of urgency. 

CoronaVirus is killing people and destroying lives, let's be careful not to further damage or enable damage to the lives and future of the women and girls in our societies.