With regard to our Central African sub-region specifically, the COVID-19 pandemic is highlighting with ever greater magnitude the structural inequalities that exist in all areas, from health and the economy to security and safety, as well as social protection. In times of crisis, when resources are scarce and institutional capacities are strained, the situations women face have disproportionate impacts, and their effects are all the more magnified in fragile contexts.
The #COVID-19 pandemic has offered opportunities to stimulate careers and promote women scientists in the Central Africa region.
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It is women who are most at risk of infection with the coronavirus and who bear the greatest burden. With schools closed and health centres overwhelmed, the pressure on women to care for them all day is greater. Therefore, COVID-19, and its devastating effects on our societies and our economies, illustrate how much society needs to rely on women, whether on the front lines or in the home.
The United Nations Secretary-General has urged all governments to make prevention and protection of women a key component of their national response plans. Mr. Guterres also encouraged “governments to put women and girls at the centre of their efforts to recover from COVID-19.” “It starts with women as leaders, with equal representation and decision-making power,” he said.
I am delighted to note that in Central Africa, real female leadership has emerged in almost all the countries of the sub-region with women scientists holding key roles in the management of the health crisis in their respective country. The Minister of Scientific Research in Cameroon, Her Excellency Madam Madeleine Tchuinte; the President of the COVID scientific committee in Gabon, Professor Marielle Bouyou Akotet; the director of the private reference laboratory (acting in the diagnosis and research on SARS-COV-2) in the Republic of Congo, Professor Francine Ntoumi; members of the scientific committees in Cameroon, in DRC to name a few, to members of international steering committees (WHO, AFRICA-CDC). Indeed, women scientists in our sub-region really hold the upper hand in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
#COVID-19, and its devastating effects on our societies and our economies, illustrate how much society needs to rely on women, whether on the front lines or in the home.
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Going forward, we believe it is critical to take a good look at the effects of the pandemic on women across the board, including:
- Women on the front lines as health workers: Women may also be more exposed to COVID-19 because of their over-representation in the health and social services professions. Almost 70% of the world’s medical and social workers are made up of women. Many of them are midwives, nurses or community health workers, roles that put them on the front line in the event of an epidemic.
- The economic consequences of the pandemic: The observation is that women generally work in precarious sectors. In the services sector, hard hit by the current crisis, many women work in the informal sector and therefore do not benefit from social protection (unemployment insurance or others).
- Girls’ Schooling: The COVID-19 pandemic affects the human capital of men and women differently; In addition, the burden of domestic chores on women and girls who most often assume responsibility for household maintenance and take care of family members. And cases of school dropouts are more pronounced among girls during this COVID 19 pandemic.
- Women, Peace and Security: The consequences on women in conflict zones. According to several corroborating sources, the impact of COVID-19 would limit the effectiveness and frequency of interventions by the defence and security forces against armed groups. Thus, conflict-related sexual violence is believed to be on the rise. These vulnerable groups often find themselves without legal rights and sometimes not identified by the local authorities. They often do not benefit from easy access to assistance and care in hospital services.
- Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and Health in General: The redeployment of public resources in view of the health emergency can also restrict sexual, reproductive and maternal health services, especially when the means of health systems are very limited. An increase in maternal mortality has thus been observed during previous Ebola epidemics. COVID 19 can have detrimental effects on the decision-making capacity and action of women. Violence against women is a blatant illustration of this. Patriarchal traditions, economic uncertainty and stress, combined with containment measures and the limitation of many services, have already caused a worrying rise in domestic violence.
The pandemic brings opportunities to women that can be seized immediately in the context of the current situation, but also throughout the recovery phase to affect lasting changes. Priority should be given to the participation of women based on their roles within communities which generally place them in a favourable position to positively influence the design and implementation of prevention activities. Given their proximity to the local level, their surveillance and knowledge can help to report and improve the overall health situation.
Additionally, this pandemic has demonstrated that it is possible to work remotely if given the appropriate tools. Developing digital operational capability is therefore key for women. Indeed, rapid gender analysis, prevention with information systems on Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and remote management of GBV can be better addressed with digitalization.
Thirdly, the increase in cash assistance via mobile money all demonstrate the responsiveness of women to adapt by creating the conditions to operate while respecting disease prevention measures. This capacity is necessary to meet certain logistical and security challenges.
Over the next few weeks, ECCAS will boost the above-detailed aspirations by:
1) Undertaking an imminent review of its regional strategy to fight COVID-19 in Central Africa, adopted by the Ministers of Health of the Region in July 2020, and will devote considerable attention to the plight and role of women;
2) Holding a meeting of the Ministers of Health of the ECCAS sub-region preceded by a meeting of experts on the harmonization of the strategy for the acquisition and deployment of the SARS COV-2 vaccine. This meeting follows on from the one organised some time ago by the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) countries with the active participation of ECCAS experts and one of the resolutions of which was the extension of the resolutions to the countries of ECCAS.
3) Working actively to operationalize the Central African Health Organization (OSAC), including the Conference of Heads of State of ECCAS held in N’Djamena on 25 May 2015, which approved the draft decisions for its creation.
It is my hope that this article will in any case make a substantial contribution to putting into perspective the contribution of women scientists in the fight against COVID-19 in Central Africa. We also hope for better collaboration and the multiplication of communication and interaction gateways between them. To some unfortunate extent, the COVID-19 pandemic has offered opportunities to stimulate careers and promote women scientists in the Central African region.
Her Excellency Madam Kapinga Yvette Ngandu, is Commissioner for the Promotion of Gender, Human and Social Development at the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)
