BY BETELHEM BEDLU
Ethiopia has done well in terms of COVID-19 prevention and containment. The pandemic itself has not had the huge impact on loss of life that is witnessed in other countries, including wealthier countries with more developed healthcare systems in Europe and North America.
However, the research finding that the Central Statistics Agency as well as UN Women conducted entitled ‘Assessment of the Gender-Responsiveness of Measures for COVID-19 Prevention, Response and Recovery in Ethiopia’ identified a significant shortcomings in gender-responsiveness in social and economic response and recovery and particularly on vulnerable women, of those that are in rural areas or displaced.
The Government of Ethiopia acted swiftly, adopting, adapting and innovating policies, strategies and interventions for the prevention and containment of COVID-19, according to the study,
Yet, women have been largely excluded from decision-making processes related to COVID-19 response. For example, in the health sector globally, women make up 20 percent or fewer of key committees while accounting for 70 percent of the healthcare workers, it indicates.
CARE international conducted a review of women’s engagement across 30 countries, resulting in a report entitled ‘The Absence of Women in COVID-19 Response’. The report found that women average 24 percent of COVID-19 committee membership; 76 percent of the countries surveyed had made at least one commitment that supports women, woefully insufficient given the impact of COVID19 on women; and more than half of the countries surveyed had not taken any action on Gender Based Violence (GBV) while about one third do not appear to have addressed Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) in their response.
It goes without saying that the Coronavirus outbreak has impacted almost all segments of the society; but the due to the fact that women often have lower levels of education and skills development, earn less than men even in the same jobs, have minimal savings when compared to male counterparts, and are more likely to be employed in the informal sector with reduced job security and more precarious workplaces, it has double burden on them.
In fact, its estimates indicated that while women make up 39 percent of global employment, they account for 54 percent of overall job losses during the pandemic. This is especially the case in developing countries where women are mainly employed in the informal economy, it stated.
In most of the world, including in Ethiopia, COVID-19 policies, strategies and reports are often gender-blind with little or no reference to women, girls, gender, and intersectional identities. There is a growing awareness that this is a gap, and there are statements, projections, thoughts on the matter of gender-inclusion.
However, a review of existing guidance documents reveals lack of gender-mainstreaming in general documents, with greater attention paid in targeted documents on vulnerable populations. Still these policies and strategies have not impacted the majority of Ethiopians, regardless of gender.
To this end, the research findings recommended that the national government must lead on a coordinated cross-sectorial response for COVID-19 gender-responsiveness.
It also recommended the national gender-responsive strategy needs to establish the collection of sex-disaggregated data as a minimum requirement for evidence-based and gender-responsive decision-making.
The study further noted that a national gender-responsive strategy requires gender-budgeting across ministries and agencies at all levels of government (and provide the capacity support for this to be carried out).
Moreover, gendered capacity and leadership for gender-responsiveness has to be integrated across all relevant government ministries, agencies and other organizations including Civil Society and International organizations.
While it suggested, strategies, policies and initiatives must serve the needs of vulnerable women by recognizing, funding, and promoting awareness of intersectional identities and the increased challenges faced by excluded groups. Empowered, connected and resourced ministries, agencies and other organizations need to develop and support gender-responsive sector strategies including in the non-COVID health sector, social sector and economic sector.
The Ethiopian Herald February 11/2021
