Gender and Crisis Response
#SheCaresCovid19
Launched by Gender Concerns International, The Hague, 13th March 2020.
Mission Statement
This campaign is an emergency gender response to the spread of COVID-19. The campaign highlights the impact of the virus through a gender lens both in terms of challenges it poses and opportunities it offers to female leadership and to the global international development community. While the campaign provides tools to collect the testimonies of women confronted with the challenges, it also aims to document their (s)heroic role in supressing the COVID-19 shock. #SheCaresCoVid19 is an appreciation of women’s resilience and leadership. A Covid Recovery Response (ICRR) is only effective when it is Gender-Inclusive.
The Campaign
#SheCaresCovid19, is sounding an alarm to the rising gender-based social injustice and economic disparity within the local communities hit hardest by the spread of COVID-19. Women lay-offs from work, dependency of the caregivers’ sector on them, and an increase in 24 hours care at home are reported to be adding to the day-by-day rise in gender-based discrimination during this crisis.
Gender Concerns seeks partnerships imploring the international and local community to include the every-day people who are on the front line of fighting this crisis. It is our belief that as a gender and development organisation, critical assistance must urgently be offered to women who are disproportionately impacted by the virus. This support needs to be provided to them also through established women organisations and networks globally; generosity needs to be gender-inclusive in its distribution and management!
The current situation has created a unique opportunity to push for gender-equality for women, especially those who play crucial roles to keep society functioning. With the spread of COVID-19 there has been a surge in public recognition and appreciation for those working in healthcare and education (industries which are predominantly female), the campaign aims to harness this appreciation so that the Vital Women Professionals do not fade back into invisibility after the crisis has been contained and managed.
Outreach Message
Recognition, respect and resources for women`s work and their organisations has always been the focus of our support work. In times like these, women organisations face integrity challenges in reaching out to their networks and partners in need. These organisations lack any emergency response fund reserves and often are excluded from being supported through rapid emergency response mechanisms. This helplessness poses a great challenge to women organisations globally. Gender Concerns International is deeply concerned about this situation. Our decades-long commitment is tested in times of crisis when we can not reach out to our partners quickly. Let us share our experiences of challenges and inspire each other with the testimonies of dedication to deal with this Crisis.
Through our partnership network of major women and human rights organisations, nationally and internationally, we wish to each out to the communities located in areas where there is a struggle to cope with the outbreak and spread of the virus. Well-established women`s organisations and networks are an asset through which organised and regular care needs to be facilitated to women in COVID19 need. This requires a collective approach and wider collaboration.
Goals
- Achieved Inclusive Covid-19 Recovery Response (ICRR)
- Establish an online information-exchange platform and an evidence-based portfolio demonstrating the global resilience and leadership of women as #SheCaresCovid19 and why equality is a requirement not an option.
- Strengthened network that supports women and women organisations in facilitating care for impacted women and communities
- Raised local awareness that acknowledges women`s leadership role in prevention and protection from the spread of the CoVid19 and its Recovery Response.
- Formed multi-stakeholder gender coordination on resource mobilization for #SheCaresCovid19.
Objectives
- Advocacy and action for an Inclusive Covid Recovery Response based on collected evidence.
- Lobby for concrete Policy-change bolstering Respect, Recognition and Resources for women Health and Education Professionals
- Network Development and Collaboration
- Collection and dissemination of information from partners and supporters on the ground as testimonies for sharing of best practice, much needed resources, and up-to-date responses to the crisis to ensure these communities are included in the global recovery response; Stories will be collected and promoted in these areas:
o Economic and social impact of mothers working from home,
o Women affected by domestic and wider gender-based violence and harassment being trapped due to lockdowns at home, in the workplace and on disserted streets,
o Women in healthcare and education sectors protecting themselves and their families,