Ensuring SRHR in a rights-based, justice, sustainable approach to Covid-19 Pandemic

In contexts where the healthcare system is poor, the pandemic overwhelms the already limited capacity to respond. As countries go into lockdown, many people are facing economic barriers and have no access to transportation, which will further limit access to health services. The pandemic also increases the stigma towards sexual and reproductive health services such as abortion. In the United States, Texas and Ohio have ordered doctors to suspend carrying out abortions and all other non-urgent surgery as part of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

In East- Africa public gatherings have been stopped in efforts to continue to  minimize spread of the virus. This ban has affected community sensitization activities on access to sexual and reproductive health rights and services. Digital communication in Sub-saharan Africa is a challenge and continues to be a challenge and young girls and women have a double difficulty in accessing sexual and reproductive health information and referral points on where to access essential services. Realisation of the possible increase in intimate partner violence as people continue to stay under quarantine.

The scarcity of healthcare resources, isolation, and increasing ideological attacks to SRHR can only lead to higher maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality, increased unmet need for contraception, and increased number of unsafe abortions and sexually transmitted infections. They also further deny women and girls their right to self determination over their health and bodies.

The experience with previous epidemics show us that emergency and outbreaks have gendered impacts that disproportionately affect women, girls, and LGBTIQ+ persons. They face increased threats of sexual and other forms of violence. And having to stay at home during lockdown means being imprisoned with their abusers. Persons with disabilities, indigenous, refugees, and LGBTiQ+  who are normally left out of the health care system, will further experience the discrimination as the pandemic strain resources and services.

We urge the governments to undertake a rights-based, reproductive justice, and sustainable development approach towards the COVID-19 and any other emerging health issues. As such, the practice in combating COVID-19 must:

1. Include reproductive health commodities such as menstrual health items, oral contraceptives, condoms, spermicide and lubrication in the relief packages during the lockdown period.
2. Ensure women’s timely access to necessary and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services during the crisis, such as emergency contraception, post-abortion and safe abortion services, and ensure continuity of care.
3. Ensure that some sexual and reproductive health clinics are left to offer services.
4. Gender Based Violence pathways must reflect the changes according to availability of facilities and service, and communities and service providers are informed of the changes.  Hotlines to report gender-based violence must be in place and safe houses available and supported. Train frontline workers to recognize signs of GBV and how to refer to appropriate services.
5. Empower young people to access sexual and reproductive health services in times of crisis.
6. Ensure that Comprehensive Sexuality Education is still accessible for young people and linkage to adolescent- and youth-friendly sexual and reproductive services are in place.
7. Ensure the non-disruption of healthcare services for young people especially young Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV) who will need treatment services such as antiretroviral medication refill.
8. Extend  tax reduction for goods and commodities to menstrual health items and contraceptives
9. Ensure proper language and communication mechanisms for all as pertaining on how to take care of themselves are inclusive of persons with disabilities.
10. Ensure psychosocial support are provided to all affected individuals including women who represent 70 percent of the health and social workforce combatting COVID-19
11. Ensure that human-rights of everyone is respected and protected during the lockdown period by focusing on safety and health for all rather than arrests and confinements.
12. Ensure that information, response plan, and aid do not reinforce discrimination, but rather respond adequately to the different needs of women and girls, LGBTIQ+ persons, homeless and displaced, refugees, migrants, asylum seekers, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and other groups who are most marginalized and excluded.

The coronavirus pandemic is only showing us once again that preparing, mitigating, and responding to health crises is inevitably about examining and abolishing the inequalities in our society. How glaring is the fact that while it is as simple as handwashing that can help stop the spread of the infections, 40% of the world’s population still do not have adequate handwashing facilities with water and soap at home? As we tightly hold on to our hopes for the end of this crisis, we remain steadfast in our solidarity so that we don’t go back to ‘normal,’ but rather come out of this with a better and just world. #