Finding Hope: Experiences of women, children and adolescents during COVID-19.....in their own words

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we need to better understand the lived realities of women and adolescents…and enable those behind the numbers to speak for themselves......... 

Sometimes you read a phrase that causes you to stop and think. The above was that phrase for me. Certainly, COVID-19 has been tough for everyone, but recent months have shown the impact of COVID-19 is being felt the most, by certain populations of women, children and adolescents. It’s through no fault of their own. For some reason, they have been marginalized and excluded or forced to depend on the informal sector for income. Or they may live in areas prone to fragility with insufficient access to social and health services. Sadly, nearly all lack social protection, have limited opportunities to cope and adapt, and have limited or no access to technologies.

The truth is, we can’t blame everything on COVID-19. World Bank estimates in 2017 indicated that the maternal mortality ratio in the lowest income countries is more than 40 times higher than in Europe. These large inequities in health coverage and outcomes cannot go on!

“Finding Hope” illustrates the lived experiences of nearly 30,000 women and adolescents from April to August 2020 across 43 countries (Africa, Latin America and Caribbean and India), during initial country attempts to curb the crisis. They are the voices we need to hear to make real and lasting change by addressing their most pressing challenges:  

·         Impact on mental health and well-being due to disruption of life

·         Limits on access to education

·         Food insecurity

·         Loss of livelihoods

·         Lack of access to health information and services

·         Limitations on sexual and reproductive health and rights 

·         Increased violence, lack of safety and reduced agency

At PMNCH though, we are not just about reporting problems, we are also about solutions, some of which include:

·       Economic measures in response to loss of livelihoods

·       The inclusion of sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition services in lists of essential services

·       The use of a range of digital tools and traditional media to maintain health, social and educational services and reach different population groups with health messages and psychosocial support

·       Civil society, humanitarian and nongovernmental organizations, as well as self-help groups frontline and community workers, working together to provide essential services to affected families and marginalized groups during lockdown

·       Strengthening dialogue and activities that bring the family together to reduce intra-household violence and stress

·       Support networks and community solidarity to help address many of the gaps and inequities within countries.

Read the full report here.

Finding Hope is based on the work of the following partner organizations:

·       Africa: Amref Health Africa; the Gra?a Machel Trust

·       Latin America and the Caribbean: International Planned Parenthood Federation, Western Hemisphere Region (IPPF WHR); and Profamilia (Colombia) – as well as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and UNICEF (Latin America and the Caribbean)

·       India:- the Centre for Catalyzing Change (C3)

 COVID-19 has revealed grave inequalities within our societies and exacerbated many of the existing challenges facing women and girls. We have an unprecedented opportunity for innovative and large-scale action to transform the lives of the most vulnerable. We must build back better, using contextually appropriate strategies that take account of a range of factors, including gender, age and access to resources. This is essential to ensure that the short, medium and long-term benefits produced outweigh any potential harm.

PMNCH will continue to strongly advocate for women and adolescents to be consulted and engaged in decision-making processes at global, regional, national and local levels, including in taskforces, to ensure that their lived experiences are meaningfully addressed in COVID-19 response and recovery pathways. 

Drawing on the PMNCH COVID-19 Call to Action, and based on the lived experiences of women and adolescents analyzed for the above advocacy brief, we at PMNCH call for a collaborative approach across governments and all stakeholder to address the following seven policy asks:

1.     Maintain essential SRMNCAH+N services, products and information, including for contraception, safe abortion, immunization, safe delivery, stillbirth prevention and mental health.

2.     Address gender inequality, including gender-based violence, and ensure the safety and security of women and adolescent girls in integrated response and recovery plans.

3.     Increase attention to the mental health needs for those, especially women and adolescents, who have been severely affected by the pandemic.

4.     Adopt and scale up social and economic relief measures that are gender-responsive and reduce inequities.

5.     Address adolescents’ needs for education and vocational training.

6.     Address the digital divide within countries and between genders.

7.     Collect and report disaggregated data (by age, sex, income, disability, geography and gender statistics).

To get involved and make a difference, please join the PMNCH COVID-19 Call to Action today!