The call for global action has been amplified by UN Women’s Generation Equality campaign to bridge funding gaps, ensure essential services for survivors of violence during the COVID-19 crisis, with focus on prevention, and collection of data that can improve life-saving services for women and girls. As countries around the world implemented lockdown measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus, violence against women, especially domestic violence, intensified in many countries thereby, the calls to helplines have increased five-fold. On the contrary, formal reports of domestic violence have decreased as survivors find it harder to seek help and access support through the common channels. School closures and economic strains left women and girls poorer, out of school and out of jobs, and more vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, forced marriage, and harassment.
The Global Gender Gap Index released by the World Economic Forum (2020) has been measuring the extent of gender-based gaps among four key dimensions (Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment) and tracking progress towards closing these gaps over time. Looking at the gender parity index released by the World Economic Forum, across the four sub-indexes, on average, the largest gender disparity is the one related to Political Empowerment gap. The second-largest gap is on Economic Participation and Opportunity; 57.8% of this gap has been closed so far. Progress towards closing the Educational Attainment and Health and Survival gaps is more advanced i.e. 96.1% and 95.7%, respectively. The overall global gender gap will close in 99.5 years, on average, across the 107 countries covered and 71 and a half years in South Asia.
Pakistan currently stands at 151 out of 153 countries above only Iraq and Yemen on gender equality at 0.564 (2018). Bangladesh occupies 50 th position with a score of 0.726 ahead of India at 112 with a score of 0.668. Hence, Pakistan needs to go a long way to make itself comparable even to the regional countries in terms of gender parity. In fact, on the count of gender inequality in politics Maryam Nawaz Sharif recently revealed how her security and privacy were breached while in Jail and was publically taunted as a “Nani” by a political opponent. Being a grandparent is certainly a privilege for any man or a woman and using it as a derogatory remark against a female politician should have caused a stir among women in the ruling party particularly the Human Rights Minister. Previously, Benazir Bhutto was brutally gunned down in a public rally in 2007 leading to a subsequent political and security turmoil in the country. Psychological violence also entails threats, oral comments or statements indicating bias, character assassination, stalking etc. This depicts a gory reality of the political environment prevalent even today where even the most powerful and privileged women are not safe in domestic politics. It’s high time we take notice of the attitudes towards women in public life as it also affects the perception of general public towards women emancipation.
Looking at the gender parity index released by the World Economic Forum, across the four sub-indexes, on average, the largest gender disparity is the one related to Political Empowerment gap
Besides violence against women in politics gender based violence in all its forms and manifestations such as Female Genital Mutilation, Intimate partner violence, forced child marriages, intimidation, harassment, domestic violence are all highly condemnable and have grave economic and moral costs for a society at large. A pandemic deepens economic and social stress coupled with restricted movement and social isolation measures, increasing gender-based violence exponentially.
A Gender Lens Report on Asia and Pacific (2020) confirms disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on women and girls. The report observes that lockdowns and quarantine measures placed by many countries mean that millions of women are confined with their abusers, with limited options for seeking help and support. The financial, domestic and health pressures during the lockdown compound domestic abuse. In a developing country like Pakistan with already very low indicators of socio- economic development, an epidemic is likely to further widen pre-existing gender inequalities. In the context of Pakistan, 28% of women aged (15-49) have experienced physical violence since the age of 15, and 6% have experienced sexual violence. 7% of the women have experienced violence during their pregnancy and 34% of ever-married women have experienced spousal violence. The most common type of spousal violence is emotional violence (26%) which is followed by physical violence (23%). Furthermore, making decisions alone or being involved in decision-making by the family is limited for young women.
In case of Education involvement in decision making is 24%; for Employment it is 24%; Marriage is 1% (alone) 16% (consulted by family). 49% of ever married employed women reported control over their earning. Furthermore, 34% of women became mothers before age 20, and 16% before 18 years of age. The percentage of adolescent births is high in Balochistan at 30%.
Domestic violence is a pattern of patriarchal hegemony. In Pakistan, 70 to 90 percent of women experience some form of physical, emotional or psychological abuse from an intimate partner. Home is not a safe place for victims of domestic violence. Hence, the situation of women empowerment in areas of economic, social and decision making ability remains dismal.
Providing psychosocial support for women and girls affected by the outbreak through existing NGOs structure could be helpful in addressing their plight. Currently, Pakistan’s Federal Ministry of Human Rights have taken an affirmative step through issuing a COVID-19 Alert that provides a helpline (1099) and a WhatsApp number to report cases of domestic violence during the lockdown.
We need to collectively prioritize resources and efforts to ensure continuity and access to essential services to address violence against women and girls, including preparation for an increase in demand for emergency hotlines/helplines, shelters and other essential housing options, legal aid and other essential police and justice services.
By virtue of empowerment of women through education and decent work opportunities we can make them less vulnerable to incidences of persecution. Women who are financially independent and have awareness on their rights are less likely to be oppressed at home, work places etc. So supporting and sharing information on platforms that enable women to find relevant work opportunities or trainings is great way to enhance their capacity. It accounts for employment issues such as wage equality, benefits, career advancement and occupational health and safety.
Also, in order to protect women in employment special measures must be undertaken on a priority basis to ensure the registration of young female agricultural workers, daily wagers and domestic workers, home based workers and self-employed females, fair pays, job security and especially for social protection and relief purposes. Furthermore, child protection, harassment, and gender-based violence risks must be assessed, monitored, and addressed during the planning and implementation of COVID 19 responses. Bridging the digital, rural and urban settings divide and building capacity of young women for on line and remote work and time management, as well as to access online education and training can be a helpful step.
The author is currently a Fellow at the Federation for International Gender and Human Rights (FIGHR) New York.