Tag: lockdown

IRC: Women in Conflict Zones Under-tested for COVID-19

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Data collected by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) reveals mostly men are testing positive for COVID-19 in conflict-affected countries like Somalia, Pakistan, and Yemen. The figures released on Wednesday are fuelling concerns that COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, is spreading silently among women struggling to access already limited testing and treatment facilities in parts of the Middle East and Africa.

The IRC reports that in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen, Chad, and Central African Republic the disparities are particularly worrying, with over 70% of COVID-19 cases having been detected in men, and 30% or less in women. Those figures are in stark contrast to the ratio in Europe, for example, where it is roughly a 50/50 split between men and women. 

“This data suggests women are being under tested for COVID-19 in many places where the IRC works,” said IRC Senior Technical Advisor of Emergency Health Stacey Mearns. “Both men and women in conflict-affected countries experience great difficulty in accessing healthcare, but data shows women have a slimmer chance of seeing a doctor than men in countries such as Pakistan.”

Mearns says that in countries where the disparity is at play, women may not have the same freedom of movement as men but often perform caring roles and are front-line workers, placing them at equal or higher risk of contracting the highly contagious virus.

“The numbers do not add up. What we are seeing is a situation in which women are potentially being left out of testing and their health deprioritized,” Mearns argued in a June 24 press release. 

“There is a need for a major increase in testing for everyone in the countries where we work, but we must pay particular attention to ensure women are getting equal access to testing and health care.”

The United Nations has also warned that as with conflict situations, the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to deepen pre-existing inequalities between men and women and could undo limited gender equality gains made in recent years. 

“Across every sphere, from health to the economy, security to social protection, the impacts of COVID-19 are exacerbated for women and girls simply by virtue of their sex,” the UN said on April 9 when it released a policy brief detailing the impacts of COVID-19 on women.

In addition to unequal access to health care, women around the world have been subject to an alarming increase in domestic and family violence exacerbated by virus lockdowns, and data shows women have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 job cuts.  

The IRC says it needs an additional $30 million to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and support for its efforts to improve female education and access to COVID-19 testing and treatment. 

Read also: Fighting Continues in South Yemen Despite Ceasefire

Tunisia Eyes Economy After Declaring COVID-19 Victory

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Tunisian Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh used a national address on Tunisian television on Sunday, June 14 to declare victory over the coronavirus epidemic in the North African nation. The prime minister highlighted the repatriation of 25,000 Tunisians from countries abroad as he emphasized Tunisians should be proud of themselves for beating COVID-19.

On June 27, Tunisia will reopen its borders and welcome back tourists who provide much-needed revenue in the country that has seen its economy frozen in place for months. Despite their hit on the economy, the stringent measures and general adherence to lockdowns and curfews was a major contributor to Tunisia’s success, according to Fakhfakh.

Tunisia recorded 1,096 total cases of the coronavirus, with 49 Tunisian casualties. Recoveries are currently at 998, leaving only a few citizens receiving treatment and with few new cases reported since May 10. On June 16, a day after the PM’s speech, 16 new cases were reported according to the North Africa Post.

The country’s relative success in halting the spread of the virus did come at a significant economic cost and uncertainty prevails over whether the country should ask for foreign support.

External debt

On Sunday, Fakhfakh spoke about the economic state of the country as the government faces a $1.6 billion shortage in public financing due to the coronavirus epidemic. The debate has raged regarding whether the country should request funds from international institutions, or whether austerity could alleviate the financial burden.

“External debt reached dangerous levels and now reached 60% of GDP, compared to 30% in 2013 and I decided not to continue in this way,” Fakhfakh told Attessia TV. The government’s proposed solution is a freeze in public sector wages and a reliance on internal loans to solve the economic crisis.

“Public finances are very critical and we cannot continue with the approach of increasing wages,” Fakhfakh stated as the country faces an economy set to shrink by 4.3%. “Public finances are very critical and we cannot continue with the approach of increasing wages,” Fakhfakh said, potentially setting up a conflict with Tunisia’s influential general labor union, UGTT.

Tunisia’s powerful labor union has stated that Tunisia’s average public sector wage of $250 per month is one of the lowest in the world and a freeze on public sector wages would mean personal incomes would decrease in respect to a 6.3% inflation rate.

Debating foreign assistance

Fakhfakh’s proclamation about public sector wages on Sunday will undoubtedly require reconsideration. The World Bank approved a $175 million disbursement from a collective international support fund known as the Resilience and Recovery Emergency Development Policy Operation.

“This crisis is a serious challenge,” Ferid Belhaj of the World Bank stated, “but it could also be an opportunity for Tunisia to redefine its position in the global economy by improving conditions for investment and job creation in the private sector.”

“This is an unprecedented budget support,” Tunisia’s Minister for Development, Investment and International Cooperation, Selim Azzabi stated. But it appears that the aid could come with major demands from the World Bank, as Azzabi said that the aid “required intense inter-donor coordination of several months carried out by our ministry.”

A statement from the World Bank included references to “improve the transparency and performance of state-owned enterprises” and “improving the business climate,” which are often euphemisms for nationalizing industry and cutting taxes and regulations for large businesses.

It is not yet clear whether Fakhfakh’s unpopular announcement on public sector wages is his own decision or simply acquiescence to a condition demanded as part of World Bank assistance.

Activism and Economic Activity Amid a Growing COVID-19 Crisis

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There are currently seven million confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide, 400,000 have died, and new cases are still on the rise. The World Health Organization (WHO) is warning that the global COVID-19 crisis is “worsening,” yet life appears to return to normal at a lighting pace.

Many citizens who have faced long coronavirus lockdowns and travel restrictions are either waiting for their country to reopen or already seeing some elements of normalcy. Even though COVID-19 remains a global threat, economic and societal pressures are pushing people back onto the street.

Return to ‘normal’

In Europe, life seems to be returning to normal, with the EU planning to reopen its internal Schengen borders in time for summer vacations. Famous museums like the Prado museum in Madrid, the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, and the Versailles museum in Paris have once again opened their doors to visitors.

The Bundesliga has returned and even family entertainment venues like theme parks are reopening. Tourists are again free to visit Rome’s Colosseum and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, after which they are free to have some food or cold drinks in local bars and restaurants. Germany bars have been packed with patrons and Amsterdam’s famous Vondelpark saw an impromptu “mini-festival.”

Cyprus is so eager to again receive tourists that it is offering to pay for anyone’s COVID-19 treatment if they test positive upon arrival.

The US has seen no sign of effective containment as the country is preparing to confirm it’s two-millionth COVID-19 case, yet California bars are set to reopen on Friday, June 12.

Protesting racism

Hundreds of thousands of people in America’s largest cities have protested institutional racism in the United States over the past week, with protests now spreading to smaller towns. The brutal death of George Floyd in police custody has reignited the debate over the country’s ingrained and persistent racism.

The blatant case of police brutality has even sparked outrage worldwide, with large demonstrations across the globe. In Europe, thousands packed the streets of Amsterdam, Berlin, Barcelona, Brussels, Copenhagen, London, Madrid, Paris, Rome, and Warsaw while smaller cities also saw significant demonstrations.

In Asia, protesters in cities like Tokyo, Jakarta, Seoul, Sydney, and Brisbane came out in a display of solidarity with US protests while highlighting local injustices, such as West Papua’s struggle for independence and the Philippine anti-drug war that has become a slaughter of impoverished locals.

Even in Brazil, where the local COVID-19 epidemic is rapidly accelerating, most large cities saw protests in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and in opposition to the Brazilian government’s COVID-19 response.

WHO warnings

When listening to the analysis of the WHO, both large-scale protests and the reopening of tourist attractions seems unimaginable.

WHO’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in his opening remarks during a June 8 media briefing said “the situation in Europe is improving, globally it is worsening.”

On Sunday, June 7, “more than 136,000 cases were reported, the most in a single day so far,” he underlined.

Ten countries in the Americas and Central Asia currently account for three-quarters of all new cases, with fears of increasing numbers in Africa and Eastern Europe. But the WHO has expressed concern over the emergence of large protests. While Ghebreyesus stated that the WHO “fully supports equality and the global movement against racism,” he urged for “active surveillance to ensure the virus does not rebound.”

The world appears to have reached a “new normal” where some countries are resuming many parts of daily life while others continue to struggle with large local outbreaks. The patchwork of different approaches, preventive measures, and exit strategies mean that many countries base their policies on the local situation, even as the global problem grows.

While all sectors of the economy will cheer a return to normal, once international travel reemerges we could be reminded, once again, of the consequences of our interconnected global society.

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