A research conducted by the Africa Skills Hub (ASH) has shown that the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the plight of women more than men.
The report said women found it difficult to access social services, restricted access to the market, cost spikes, income losses and returned migrants worsened the health and socioeconomic status of women during the pandemic.
Madam Titilope F. Ajayi, the Lead Researcher, in a presentation at the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and Post-COVID-19 Innovation Forum, said, “it has worsened women’s health mentally and physiologically.”
The event was on the theme: “Addressing Gender-Based Violence through the rise of Innovations in post-COVID Ghana.”
The Forum was part of the learning sharing and advocacy approach on the Women’s Entrepreneurship and livelihoods Initiative (WELI) project being organised by Africa Skills Hub in partnership with Ghana United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
It brought together relevant stakeholders to hold SGBV dialogues and panel discussions to address issues on gender equality and the rise of opportunities for women post-covid 19.
The research was conducted as part of the WELI project across Ghana (in the Volta and Northern regions) being implemented by the ASH
On the COVID-19 impact on the SGBV, she said teen pregnancies went up considerably in 2020, calling for a prudent introduction of innovative ways to empower women economically to adequately respond to future shocks.
Madam Adjoa Yenyi, Programme Specialist, UNFPA Ghana said the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in lockdowns, social isolation measures and school closures, led to an alarming rise in violence against women and girls worldwide.
She said the statistics available at the Accra Regional Office of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit, as of August 2020, showed that 31.9 per cent of Ghanaian women had faced at least one form of domestic violence – physical, economic. psychological, social, or sexual.
She said domestic violence caused immediate devastating consequences to those affected; physical injuries, mental health problems and poor well-being, among others.