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| study on the effect of COVID-19 among girls and women |
Brief
situation on COVID-19 pandemic in 2020
On
11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the corona virus
outbreak to be a global pandemic-a classification used once an epidemic grows
in multiple countries and continents at the same time. Most countries in the
world have registered at least a COVID-19 case with numbers in Africa, as of
April 15th, hovering over 10,000.
In
Uganda, the first case of the ‘novel’ corona virus was reported on March 22, it
was a 36-year-old male who arrived from Dubai. President of Uganda subsequently
announced an extensive list of measures to stop the spread of the virus;
including closing the Ugandan borders land and air, closure of all institutions
of education, a ban on both public and private transport, 14-day lockdown
followed by a 7 pm curfew.
Resident district commissioners (RDC’s) were
given new powers as the sole granters of permission for the sick to access
health centers. The 14-day lockdown later on 30th April 2020 was
extended for another 21 days sending shiver to poor agitated subsistence
earners who had anticipated to hit back to their daily work to earn a living.
As
of 20th April, Uganda has reported 55 COVID-19 cases, 28 cured and
zero deaths. The lockdown that was anticipated to last for a few weeks
turned out to be months. It was only eased in October 2020 when schools were
allowed to operate with only candidate classes, gatherings in prayer places and
meetings limited to 70 persons with strict adherence to SoPs.
The
COVID-19 period also coincided with those national general elections inclusive
of presidential and parliamentary. Here the regulations also restricted
gatherings and processions to only 200 persons. As of January 7th 2021,
Uganda had 222 new cases, bringing an accumulative total to 37,296. Uganda had
300 cumulative deaths, 12,619 cumulative recoveries with a total of 775,941
tested
Actions undertook by SORAK toward COVID-19
pandemic
Action
1: Conducting focus group discussions with vulnerable
women and girls to assess the impact of COVID-19 lockdown in their livelihoods
and rights in July 2020
The key findings were;
·
Most girls have lost hope of going back to
school and had resorted to early marriage
·
There had been increased
domestic violence as a result of lockdown. That made men stay hope jobless
·
Increased sexual abuse and
violence (rape and defilement) against girl children who now lacked school stay
and protection due to lockdown.
·
Increased adolescent girls
and women unwanted pregnancy due to redundancy of men, women and girls stay at
home.
·
This has resulted into many
unwanted children ”COVID-19
babies”
·
Loss of economic activity
especially among women who were working in markets as market vendors due to
their closure during lockdown.
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| Focus group discussion about the impact of COVID-19 |
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| Focus group discussion about the impact of COVID-19 |
Action 2: Moved to villages and sensitized them about the dangers of early marriage and pregnancy especially during lockdown when adolescent girls are at home in August 2020.
Note: the dangers are; early and
unwanted pregnancy, exposure to sexually transmitted infections, death related
to sexual abuse, it is criminal and punishable by imprisonment. This was a
danger during lockdown because girls no longer going to school that keeps them
occupied and protected. Police advice given that reporting sexual abuse as soon
as it occurs, avoiding risky places for girls, keeping girls safe and
protected, keeping girls busy at home, skilling, doing art and craft etc.
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| With police officer sensitizing communities on the dangers of sexual abuse and violence during lockdown |
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Handing over maize seeds to Kabubbu Youth group –Kibalinga subcounty |
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| Vulnerable women of Nkandwa Parish –kibalinga subcounty provided with beans seeds |
Action 4: With support from Peace Corps with provided mosquito nets to pregnant and breastfeeding mothers in July2020
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SORAK Executive Director handing over mosquito nets to vulnerable mothers |
Action 5: With support from Untapped Shores International USA Inc, trained vulnerable girls and teen mothers in the Water, sanitation and hygiene entrepreneurship via making water tanks.
It is a business or enterprise that deals in the promotion of water, sanitation and hygiene through making of water tanks for sale or a fee. This would also address water needs for hand washing, and other domestic use especially during COVID-19 when hand washing is crucial. Girls are trained in order to be able to make tanks for as many households as they can demand. They are able to earn money for every tank they make on demand. Girls can also make tanks at a fee to able to pay households and hence earn income and a living.
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| WASH
entrepreneurship Trainees receive tools to use in their water tank making business |
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| The group chairperson demonstrated who they make water tanks during a community engagement to remember 16 days of activism against GBV |
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Action 6: Garbage collection during the lockdown period in Lusalira village Mubende district Uganda in July 2020
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Participated in garbage collection from our rural trading centre |
