Gender-based Inequality and Gender-based Violence - My United Nations Presentation.

The issue of gender based violence during the current Coronavirus pandemic, which affects men and women, is a clear and present danger to the lives, livelihoods and mental state of so many individuals, especially women and young girls, and is taking place on a very large scale around the world.

It has been established by research over the decades that there is a correlation between an emergency (such as a lockdown) and an upsurge in gender-based violence and gender inequity. The Coronavirus pandemic came with a whole lot of social and economic stress on many families, not to mention the resultant restriction of movement and lockdown measures which have kept hundreds of millions indoors globally. Pre-existing toxicity in a home is the main factor that triggers gender violence and inequality during an emergency situation like we have at the moment. In Nigeria, for example, the imposition of strict lockdown measures by government resulted in an over 200% upsurge in reports of gender-based violence. Same scenario was replicated around the world where victims were trapped at home with their abusers for extended periods of time. The justice system that would have afforded victims some relief was also on lockdown. Courts and Social services departments (including homes and shelters for abused persons) have been on either full or partial lockdown. Large numbers of police personnel have also been deployed to enforce the lockdown, court proceedings have been postponed in a lot of countries further limiting society's ability to provide protection and restraining orders that will help to protect victims.

● The gender-based inequality that was in place before the pandemic has been worsened. Stark economic realities have had a catastrophic impact on the Nigerian economy, and that of most countries. Loss of livelihoods risks leading women to engage in negative coping mechanisms such as prostitution. This heightens their exposure to further sexual exploitation and abuse, unplanned pregnancies, and contracting STDs. Nigerian women are particularly vulnerable in the COVID-19 pandemic because over 80% of women in the labour force are employed in the informal sector with little or no social protection and safety nets.

● In Africa, prolonged school closures put young and adolescent girls at increased risk of child marriage and teenage pregnancy. In Nigeria, for example, about 18 million female learners have been affected by school closures. This situation is potentially bad because female education is currently undervalued across the continent. The United Nations Population Fund predicts that an additional 13 million child marriages will take place globally in the next 10 years that would have otherwise been prevented due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

The world is faced with structural and systemic issues which oppress women socially, economically and politically. Emphasis should be placed on educating the girl-child. Women should have access to funds and entrepreneurship education in order to build sustainable enterprises. Laws should sanction assaulters, protect victims and encourage them to speak up, instead of dehumanising them.

Systems and structures should be put in place to allow and encourage the inclusion and participation of women in leadership and policy-making across board. Finally, the family which is the foundational unit in nation building should educate and psychologically empower the girl-child to maximise her potentials.

The same family unit has the responsibility to raise men who are sensitive; men who honour and protect the rights of women and young girls.