TALK SHOW: Impact of COVID-19 on gender and disability in Uganda

The show opens with an introduction to the topic: the impact of COVID-19 on refugees, rural and urban people, focusing on gender and disability in Uganda. It sets the stage by mentioning a rapid gender analysis by Care International, highlighting disproportionate effects on women and girls, and introduces the panel guests from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Care International, Humanity & Inclusion, and the National Union for Women with Disabilities.

Panelists introduce their organizations and their work. Doreen from Care International details their focus on vulnerable women and girls, social justice, and poverty. Innocent from OPM explains their role in refugee protection and management in Uganda, coordinating with various bodies. Dorothy from Humanity & Inclusion describes their work with persons with disabilities and vulnerable populations across 60 countries, and Theresa from the National Union for Women with Disabilities outlines their advocacy, capacity building, and support for women and girls with disabilities, including refugees.

Doreen discusses Care International's rapid gender analysis, explaining it as a quick assessment of COVID-19's socio-economic implications. The study covered roles, access to services (especially sexual reproductive health), information access, and women's involvement in COVID-19 committees. Initial findings reveal a cross-context emergency, particularly biting for vulnerable groups like refugees, persons with disabilities, women, and girls.

Dorothy from Humanity & Inclusion shares preliminary findings from their rapid impact assessment on beneficiaries with disabilities. The assessment looked at access to information, education, food, living conditions, and health services. It found significant negative impacts on persons with disabilities in these areas, leading to long-term effects like mental health challenges.

Innocent from OPM addresses why South Sudanese refugees have not been repatriated despite a peace agreement, explaining it as a voluntary and dignified process paused by COVID-19. He also discusses the impact of the World Food Program's 30% cut in food rations, acknowledging the challenge for self-reliant refugees and the ongoing discussions with partners to increase food aid and strengthen self-reliance strategies. He mentions specific measures for urban refugees, including food relief and cash assistance.

Doreen details how COVID-19 has impacted gender roles and the burden of care at the household level. Women, primarily responsible for family care, face increased unpaid work due to lockdowns and children staying home. While some men are becoming more involved, working mothers face significant challenges balancing professional work with increased household demands. Dorothy then adds that children with developmental disabilities further increase the burden on mothers, especially in settlements with limited services.

Innocent clarifies OPM's coordination role rather than direct implementation in refugee settlements, relying on partners and refugee welfare councils for information dissemination. Michelle from Care International, speaking from Changwali settlement, paints a dire picture, noting that 19% of refugees have resorted to faith and many lack adequate support. She emphasizes the unequal access to information, with men generally having more due to market and trading center visits, while women in deeper villages rely on secondary sources.

Michelle recommends ensuring communication reaches the most vulnerable and marginalized, adapting methods like community volunteers with megaphones. She also discusses coping mechanisms in settlements, noting that some are negative (like early marriage or reduced meals) while others involve innovative income generation activities or support from WFP cash assistance.

Innocent explains that COVID-19 has heavily impacted VSLAs, with many members (80% women) withdrawing savings. Government and UN initiatives, like the UN emergency fund, are being launched to support vulnerable groups and promote economic recovery. He also mentions measures to ensure access to agricultural inputs, as farming is a crucial sector that remained operational.

Dorothy defines intersectionality as the interplay of social factors leading to discrimination. She uses the example of a disabled woman in a health crisis, highlighting double vulnerability due to societal stereotypes and attitudinal barriers from service providers, especially in sexual reproductive health. She raises the question of prioritization of boys with disabilities over girls, advocating for increased support for girls' education and sustainability.

Doreen adds that women, particularly those with disabilities, face significant economic challenges due to reliance on informal networks and VSLA groups being disrupted. The closure of these groups also limits their access to valuable information and support. She emphasizes the need for actors to adapt programming and use existing community structures, like community-based facilitators, to disseminate information and provide protection for frontline workers.

Dorothy discusses the impact on SRH services, highlighting attitudinal and communication barriers, especially for persons with hearing impairments. Mobility challenges due to restrictions further limit access. She also points out the broader issue of health centers prioritizing COVID-19, neglecting essential services like physical rehabilitation and mental health, which are crucial for persons with disabilities.

Theresa emphasizes the severe limitations faced by persons with disabilities, particularly women during crises. She cites a UNFPA study showing girls with disabilities are ten times more likely to experience gender-based violence (GBV) and are especially vulnerable to sexual abuse, often unreported. She shares a concerning recent report of a 14-year-old girl with disabilities being defiled.

Theresa recommends instituting active help lines for reporting abuses, continuous awareness campaigns on GBV, and designing strategies for accessible reporting mechanisms, considering transport limitations during lockdowns.

Annette from Care International explains how COVID-19 exacerbates GBV. Although some drivers like alcohol consumption may decrease due to restrictions, increased strain on families from job losses, financial insecurity, and heightened care demands lead to more IPV and child abuse. The lack of traditional support systems (neighbors, relatives, and service providers) due to movement restrictions leaves victims with fewer options.

Annette recommends aggressive awareness campaigns, adapted transportation solutions for GBV survivors (like travel permits for boda-bodas), remote psychosocial support via helplines, and ensuring emergency transportation with reduced bureaucracy. She also stresses the importance of re-mapping and strengthening referral pathways for GBV services, which have been fragmented due to the pandemic.

Innocent outlines government efforts through security forces, local council systems, and the police to address GBV. He confirms that specific criminal cases are handled by courts, while other issues are managed by district probation offices and the Ministry of Gender. He assures that the President has acknowledged the concern of domestic violence during this period. The discussion then shifts to the representation of women within COVID-19 task forces; Doreen highlights that while women may be present, their meaningful participation and the addressing of their specific concerns remain a challenge, emphasizing the need for deliberate efforts to include and act on women's suggestions, including overlooked needs like sanitary towels.

Dorothy discusses coping mechanisms, noting that families with strong social support networks fare better. For persons with disabilities, limited resources and livelihood options lead to negative coping strategies, potentially including early marriage. Michelle from Care International confirms these negative coping mechanisms in refugee settlements, alongside some adaptive strategies like communal economic activities, but highlights the unsustainability of these solutions. Theresa emphasizes the severe impact on persons with disabilities who rely on daily 'hand-to-mouth' activities, which are halted by lockdowns, making it challenging for them to provide for their families.

Doreen compares livelihood challenges across urban, rural, and refugee contexts. Urban areas face severe disruption, while rural areas, dependent on agriculture, have better food access but struggle with selling produce and obtaining inputs for the next season. In refugee contexts, decreased rations lead to struggles for resources and increased violence. Annette then circles back to access to health services, noting that healthcare workers face transportation challenges and fear of COVID-19, making patients reluctant to seek care, especially for non-COVID related issues.

Innocent, representing the government, states that the situation is improving, and the easing of lockdown will further help. He emphasizes the need for continued communication dissemination to rural areas, especially for disadvantaged groups. Doreen recommends coordinated services across all contexts and continuous rapid assessments to adapt programming. Dorothy concludes with recommendations for inclusive communication, inclusive service delivery with a focus on access, and prioritizing vital services like mental health and psychosocial support. The show ends with a call to action for anyone grappling with GBV to reach out to authorities.