Coronavirus Emergency Appeal- A Girls' Rights Crisis

Around the world, women are facing lockdown with their abusers. They are at risk of escalating physical, sexual and emotional violence at a time when help is harder to access than ever before. They face a disproportionate burden of care and exposure to infection as they struggle to fulfill their care giving responsibilities in their family and community. Many are wondering how they will feed their children in the weeks ahead. Control of their fertility is in jeopardy as access to contraception and safe abortion are deprioritised. Even basic gender specific needs like access to menstrual products are overlooked, adding indignity to an already overwhelming situation. The need to take drastic measures to fight coronavirus is not a choice, but we can choose to protect vulnerable women and girls basic rights as we do so. The choices we make now will define us for years to come. Lets make the rights choices. Together. Ensuring Provision: We must ensure that vulnerable women and girls have access to basic necessities, including gender specific needs like menstrual products, contraception and safe abortion. We must support caregivers, particularly young, single mothers facing lockdown alone to feed their families. Providing Protection: We must enable women and girls facing abuse to seek and find refuge from their abusers. No one should have to spend lock down with their abuser. We must ensure that those informally caring for the sick in the community are protected from the risk of infection. Restoring Power : We must empower women and girls to share their experiences so that the unintended gendered impacts of lockdown can be identified and the rights of women and girls advocated for. Now is the time to come together as a community to fight coronavirus and to fight for the rights of the most vulnerable women and girls.