29 April 2020Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland is available to speak about how Covid-19 is affecting women, disrupting health services, hitting young people and impacting education.
Discussion topics:
Gender
- Crises, including pandemics, have a habit of feeding on gender inequalities and seeing women and men experiencing different exposure patterns and risks.
- Gender inequality is an issue in terms of access to healthcare around the world.
- Public health responses to Covid-19 must include gender inequalities in its design and implementation so women are not left further behind once the crisis ends.
- Countries should collect data on this pandemic by sex, age, disability and rates of domestic violence. Analysing these findings can help ensure no one is left behind.
- Essential health and emergency services should reach domestic violence victims who are now trapped indoors with their abusers.
Health
- Around 400 million people globally have no access to basic health services. They will be disproportionately affected by Covid-19.
- The Commonwealth calls on countries to achieve Universal Health Coverage that caters to all citizens and communities.
- The Commonwealth is developing an information and price-sharing database to cut the costs and overcome the acute shortage of essential health supplies including drugs, vaccines, diagnostic tests and equipment.
- Countries should ensure plans are in place to maintain essential health services to test and treat infectious and non-communicable diseases while dealing with Covid-19.
Youth
- Three out of four young people work in the informal sector with no job security, health insurance, paid leave or option to work from home.
- The social and economic impact of Covid-19 could worsen poverty and inequality.
- Young people are over-represented in sectors such as tourism, retail and aviation, which are worst hit by Covid-19. This means they are more likely to lose their jobs. Anger and frustration can easily spiral into discord and violence.
- Despite being hardest hit, the Commonwealth’s young people are most active in the fight against Covid-19. They are showing their leadership in their communities and are making vital efforts to stop the spread of Covid-19 as innovators and activists.
- The Commonwealth is delivering ambitious projects and opportunities to help reduce the impact of Covid-19 on young people by amplifying their voice in decision-making, promoting their innovations and empowering them to contribute fully to national development.
Education
- Education, a lifeline for young people, is now at risk. Mass school closures not only deepen learning gaps but also leave students without hot meals and nutrients.
- Not all students have internet access, the Commonwealth urges education and internet providers to offer zero-rating internet access to online learning platforms.
- Schools must offer flexible distance learning, catch up courses and accelerated learning to address learning gaps.
- Girls are at risk of taking on care work at home, sexual abuse and child marriage. Schools must monitor patterns of regular absence and take action to re-engage them.
- The Commonwealth is urging countries to continue school feeding programme and provide psychosocial support to at-risk children.
Sport and Physical Activity
- Four in five adolescents across the world do not get enough physical activity. Over the years, physical inactivity has become one of the biggest public health problems.
- Physical inactivity increases the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including heart problems, cancer and diabetes.
- Heart problems and diabetes are two of the most common underlying health conditions in patients who have died from Covid-19.
- As 2.5 billion people are told to stay at home, the Commonwealth urges everyone to stay active. This can improve mental health, reduce risks of developing NCDs and lessen the burden on health systems.
- The Commonwealth has developed a Sport and Coronavirus Resource Centre which collates good practice on how sport can respond to this crisis.
