Articles about HIV and STIs

20-year-old Hayathe Ayeva is the President of the Youth Action Movement (YAM) of the Togolese Association for Family Welfare (ATBEF) -the Member Association of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) in the country. A college student who is passionate about communication and writing, Hayathe has won several public speaking competitions. She identifies herself as ‘a proud social activist, woman defender of Human Rights, committed to the Sexual and Reproductive Health of adolescents and young people’. Hayathe is passionate about leadership, and has held various leadership roles in her community since the age of 10. Before joining the YAM at the age of 12 years, she was a member of several associations including the Light Club of Plan International Togo, the German Club, the theatre group and the UNESCO Club at her school, where she was also the founding president of the Anti-AIDS Club. As part of YAM’s activities, Hayathe works with her peers to support ATBEF's advocacy work on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) issues, especially among the youth. According to Hayathe, the main health SRHR challenges facing young people in Togo include prohibitive traditions that consider sexuality issues as taboo, the lack of spaces dedicated to youth activities, long distances to youth-friendly service centers, and difficult access to SRHR information including family planning. To address some of these challenges, ATBEF supports young people by availing their premises for YAM  activities. In these youth-friendly centers, they can access various documents and services. Hayathe is very active in ATBEF's activities. "I have participated in several ATBEF campaigns and projects where I have raised SRHR awareness targeting young people on social media platforms through my pages. I was also involved in the development of the novel mobile application ‘InfoAdoJeune’, a platform that helps young people access credible information on Sexual and Reproductive Health during the COVID-19 period. Hayathe is also part of the implementation team for the project on "Effective youth involvement in the mid-term review, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of TOGO's 2017-2022 National Budgeted Action Plan for Reproductive Health/Family Planning (PANB)”. As a young female leader and SRHR champion, Hayathe faces various challenges, more so those related to social and financial support. "To address these challenges, I try to increase everyone's understanding of the value of my involvement.  For activities that require costs, I try to manage with my own money and those of my relatives because I am committed to serving my community without expecting anything in return.” Despite women's involvement in all sectors around the world, Hayathe notes several obstacles to women's access to leadership positions. “They include society’s view that tends to place men above women -and the resultant women's lack of self-confidence, forced marriages and early pregnancies, family and marital responsibilities that impede them from fully pursuing their ambitions.“ To overcome these obstacles, Hayathe believes that "governments must promote gender equality and appoint more women to positions of responsibility. This will ensure they are represented at all levels and in organizational structures. More honor should be accorded to women in order to encourage others to cultivate the culture of excellence.” Hayathe's primary motivation for women's leadership is to uplift the voice of voiceless youth, to reach out to vulnerable and marginalized populations, and to share quality sexual and reproductive health information. "I am proud of the positive impact of my actions on young people in my community, which I note through their encouragement and suggestions,” she concludes. Read this article in French here. Hayathe on social networks: Facebook: Hayathe AYEVA Facebook page (personal blog): Hayathe AYEVA Twitter: @AHayathe

Hayathe AYEVA a 20 ans. C’est une étudiante togolaise très engagée dans la vie associative. Passionnée de communication et d'écriture, elle a été lauréate de plusieurs concours d'art oratoire. Activiste sociale, femme défenseur des Droits Humains, engagée pour  la Santé Sexuelle et Reproductive des adolescents et jeunes, elle préside le Mouvement d’Action des Jeunes (MAJ) de l’Association Togolaise pour le Bien-Être Familial (ATBEF), Association Membre de la Fédération Internationale pour le Planning Familial (IPPF) dans le pays. Hayathe occupe des rôles de leader communautaire depuis l'âge de 10 ans. Avant de rejoindre le MAJ à l'âge de 12 ans, elle a été membre de plusieurs associations dont le Club Lumière de Plan International TOGO, le Club Allemand, le groupe théâtral et le Club UNESCO de son école et même présidente fondatrice du Club Anti SIDA. Dans le cadre des activités du MAJ, Hayathe travaille d’arrache-pied avec ses pairs à appuyer les actions de sensibilisation de l’ATBEF sur les questions de Santé et Droits Sexuels et Reproductifs (SDSR). Selon Hayathe « les principaux défis sanitaires liés à la SDSR au Togo sont essentiellement le poids de la tradition, qui engendre des tabous liés à la sexualité, le manque d'espaces dédiés aux activités des jeunes, l’éloignement des centres de services pour jeunes, la difficulté d’accès aux informations liées à la santé reproductive (SR) et la planification familiale (PF) ». L'ATBEF appuie les actions des jeunes du MAJ en mettant à leur disposition leurs locaux et de la documentation pour certaines de leurs activités. Hayathe est personnellement très active dans les activités de l’ATBEF. « J'ai été associée à plusieurs campagnes et projets de l’ATBEF pour lesquels j’ai fait des sensibilisations sur les réseaux sociaux à travers mes comptes et pages personnels. Nous avons développé avec les jeunes du MAJ, en collaboration avec l'ATBEF, une application mobile nommée ‘InfoAdoJeune’, qui aide les jeunes à accéder à des informations crédibles sur la Santé Sexuelle et Reproductive pendant cette période de COVID-19 ». Hayathe fait également partie de l'équipe de mise en œuvre du projet portant sur « l'implication effective des jeunes dans la revue à mi-parcours, la mise en œuvre, le suivi et l'évaluation du Plan d’Action National Budgétisé (PANB) en Santé Reproductive/Planification Familiale 2017 -2022 du Togo. En sa qualité de femme leader, Hayathe se retrouve malheureusement confrontée à des défis sociaux et financiers. « Pour relever ces défis, j'essaie de faire mieux comprendre à tout le monde le bien fondé de mon engagement. Pour les activités qui requièrent des coûts, j’essaie de gérer avec mes moyens personnels et ceux de mes proches car je me suis engagée à servir ma communauté sans rien attendre en retour » Malgré l’engagement des femmes dans tous les secteurs d’activités dans le monde, Hayath note plusieurs obstacles à l'accès des femmes à des postes de direction : « le regard de la société ayant tendance à  mettre l’homme au dessus de la femme, le manque de confiance en soi des femmes en lien avec la sous-estimation dont elles font l’objet, les mariages forcés et grossesses précoces, la vie familiale et conjugale ne permettant pas aux jeunes femmes de pouvoir assouvir pleinement leurs ambitions. » Pour parer à ces obstacles, elle estime que « les gouvernements doivent prôner l'égalité de genre en nommant plus de femmes à des postes de responsabilité, afin qu’elles soient représentées à tous les niveaux hiérarchiques et à tous les niveaux dans le secteur privé. Attribuer davantage de distinctions honorifiques aux femmes afin de les stimuler à cultiver l'excellence. La principale motivation de Hayathe est de porter la voix des jeunes sans voix, de côtoyer des populations vulnérables et marginalisées afin de partager des informations de qualité sur la santé sexuelle et reproductive: « Je suis fière des impacts positifs de mes actions sur les jeunes de ma communauté que je note par les encouragements et suggestions que je reçois de leur part». Lisez cet article en anglais ici. Hayath sur les reseaux sociaux : Compte Facebook :  Hayathe AYEVA Page Facebook (blog personnel) : Hayathe AYEVA Compte twitter: @AHayathe

A Federação Internacional Para o Planeamento Familiar (IPPF) acolhe as notícias sobre a descriminalização das relações entre pessoas do mesmo sexo em Angola.  A IPPF reconhece e congratula os activistas, defensores e organizações que ajudaram a tornar possível esta alteração histórica na lei. Na Quinta-feira, 10 de Fevereiro, entrou em vigor o novo código penal de Angola, o qual descriminaliza as relações entre pessoas do mesmo sexo. Também introduz protecções relativas à orientação sexual em algumas das cláusulas não-discriminatórias de Angola, e menciona a orientação sexual nas cláusulas do discurso do código penal. Os Angolanos de todas as orientações sexuais podem finalmente viver com maior liberdade e desfrutar do mesmo direito constitucional relativo ao amor e à autonomia corporal. Estas alterações representam a primeira reformulação das leis da era colonial desde que Angola conquistou a independência em 1975, abolindo cláusulas dessa era que estavam em vigor desde que o código penal introduziu a proibição em 1886. A Directora do Escritório Regional de África da IPPF, Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry declarou: “As notícias que chegam de Angola dão nova vida e esperança renovada não apenas para a comunidade LGBTI em Angola, mas para África como um todo. As leis anti-LGBTI da era colonial são uma mancha na nossa consciência colectiva, e esta decisão assinala uma nova era de inclusividade, esperança e amor. Ninguém deve ser tratado como criminoso por escolher quem amar, e esperamos que esta alteração legislativa inspire outros países que tenham um vestígio colonial semelhante a reverem as suas próprias leis.” O primeiro passo para alterar o código penal foi dado em 2019 quando o Parlamento aprovou as alterações propostas. No entanto, apenas em Novembro de 2020 é que estas foram ratificadas pelo Presidente João Lourenço, com um prazo de 90 dias até à sua entrada em vigor na última semana. O novo código penal aboliu a linguagem de “vício contra natura”, a qual era percebida como uma proibição às relações com pessoas do mesmo sexo. A nova lei inclui vários artigos que protegem contra a discriminação com base na orientação sexual, em relação ao trabalho ou locais públicos e eventos, e inclui a pena de prisão até dois anos por discriminação baseada na orientação sexual. Após a descriminalização em Angola, o número de países onde a homossexualidade é descriminalizada é agora 72. Esta é uma base sólida para o que aí vem, para permitir um mundo onde todas as pessoas possam tomar decisões sobre a sua sexualidade e bem-estar, livres de discriminação, uma luta na qual a IPPF será uma participante activa. Leia esta declaração em inglês.

Aujourd'hui, la Fédération internationale pour la planification familiale - Région Afrique (IPPFRA) se joint au reste du monde pour célébrer la Journée internationale de la fille sous le thème : "Ma voix, l’égalité pour notre avenir". L’IPPF Région Afrique œuvre à sensibiliser sur la nécessité d'éliminer toutes les formes de discrimination en matière de droits des filles africaines. Avec le mouvement d'action des jeunes (MAJ), l'organe de jeunes volontaires de l'IPPFRA, nous continuons à manifester notre engagement en faveur de la défense des droits et du leadership des filles en veillant à ce que les filles africaines participent aux principales activités liées à la prise de décision aux niveaux national, régional et international. Diverses campagnes d'autonomisation du MAJ et programmes axés sur les filles ont permis à celles-ci de bâtir l'avenir qu'elles souhaitent, en leur offrant des plates-formes pour faire entendre leur voix et accélérer le changement au sein de leurs communautés. L'IPPFRA et ses associations membres ont le devoir de faciliter et d'améliorer l'accès des filles aux informations et aux services de santé sexuelle et reproductive, car cela leur permettra non seulement de se prendre en charge, mais aussi de prendre des décisions éclairées concernant leur santé. Il convient de noter que les filles qui sont passées par nos programmes pour jeunes occupent maintenant des postes influents dans leurs communautés. La célébration d'aujourd'hui a lieu dans le contexte d’une pandémie sans précédent liée à la COVID-19, qui a touché la fille africaine de diverses manières. Les écoles étant habituellement un lieu sûr pour les filles, leur fermeture les a exposées à divers risques, tels que les grossesses chez les adolescentes, les infections sexuellement transmissibles (dont le VIH), les mutilations génitales féminines, les mauvais traitements infligés aux enfants et la violence sexuelle à caractère sexiste. Les cas de mariage précoce de filles ont également augmenté, les parents - dont beaucoup ont perdu leurs moyens de subsistance à cause de la COVID-19 - le faisant pour des raisons économiques. Les restrictions de mouvement et l'isolement social ont également confiné les filles à la maison, les soumettant à la charge de travaux domestiques pénibles et de dispensation de soins. L'IPPFRA saisit l’occasion de la célébration de cette journée internationale de la fille pour exhorter les dirigeants africains à assurer sans équivoque une éducation sexuelle complète aux jeunes scolarisés et non scolarisés - car c'est l'un des moyens qui permettrait d'autonomiser les filles et de réduire leur vulnérabilité.   Lisez cet article en anglais ici. Pour plus d'informations sur le travail de l'IPPF Région Afrique, suivez-nous sur Facebook et Twitter.

Today, International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR) joins the rest of the world in celebrating the International Day of the Girl under the theme: ‘My Voice, Our Equal Future’. IPPF Africa Region is committed to raising awareness on the need to eliminate all forms of discrimination against the rights of African girls. Through the Youth Action Movement (YAM), IPPFAR’s youth volunteer body, we continue to demonstrate our commitment to girl-led advocacy and leadership by ensuring that African girls are involved in key-decision making activities at country, regional and international levels. Various YAM empowerment campaigns and girl-focused programmes have enabled girls to create the future they want by giving them platforms to raise their voices and accelerate change in their communities. IPPFAR and its Member Associations are duty-bound to facilitate and improve girls’ access to sexual reproductive health information and services as this will not only empower them, but help them make informed decisions about their health. It is imperative to observe that girls who have passed through our youth programmes now hold influential positions in their communities. Today’s celebration comes amid the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected the African girl in various ways. With schools often being a safe space for girls, their closures have predisposed them to various risks, such as teenage pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (including HIV), female genital mutilation, child abuse and sexual gender-based violence. Reports of girls being married off early have also increased, with parents -many of whom have lost their livelihoods because of COVID-19, doing so for economic gain. Movement restrictions and social isolation have also confined girls at home, leaving them with the burden of laborious domestic work and care giving. IPPFAR takes this opportunity to implore on African governments to unequivocally provide Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) for in and out of school youth -as this is among the means that would empower girls and reduce their vulnerability. Read the French version of this statement here. For more information about the work of IPPF Africa Region, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Today, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) Africa Regional Office and its member associations joins the Pan African’s Woman Organization (PAWO) in celebrating the Pan-African Women’s Day. On this day, we recognize PAWO’s dedicated efforts in enhancing the lives of girls and women across the African continent. For over five decades, PAWO and its development partners have spearheaded various programmes and initiatives that have empowered thousands of African women, socially and politically. Indeed, these efforts have yielded positive results, as evidenced through notable positive changes in the status of African women as most, hold powerful leadership positions in different spaces. There is so much to celebrate; in politics, African women have demonstrated true leadership and have ably led successful democracies, literacy levels have increased significantly, and so have their economic statuses, where many run successful businesses or are employed. They continue to defy all odds by breaking various social, cultural, economic and political barriers to thrive in different fields. However, it is not enough, for women today are still under-represented in many areas. Many African women remain disadvantaged, underscoring the need for unity by actors in both the public and private sectors to be relentless in ensuring that women have an equal seat at the table. A lot more still needs to be done. IPPF Africa Region has been at the forefront of championing women’s rights – more so in reproductive health, with various women-centered and empowerment programs implemented in our Member Associations across the continent. The success of our work has been greatly enhanced through close collaboration and partnerships with different governments and organizations at the international, regional, national and local levels. The African Union and its partners, such as PAWO, continue to be some of our invaluable development allies. On this day, we congratulate PAWO on its 58th anniversary, and celebrate the work it continues to do in empowering African women. We reiterate our commitment to PAWO’s efforts in championing the women’s development agenda in the continent, and pledge our highest assurance of support to the organization.   Featured image: IPPF/Xaume Olleros/Senegal Media Contacts: -Maryanne Wanyama, Communications Officer, IPPFARO, Nairobi (Kenya) - Email: [email protected] -Sam Ntelamo, Resident Representative, International Planned Parenthood Federation, Liaison Office to the African Union & UNECA, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) – Phone: +251 (11) 667 0699/0761 - Mobile +251 (0) 944 73 2051- Email: [email protected]

Nairobi, 11 July 2020 - As we celebrate the World Population Day today, we are cognizant of the fact that it has come at a very difficult time. The world is coping with the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and as is the case with most calamities, the poor and marginalized have been hardest hit. In response, governments have put in place various measures to contain the spread of the virus and while these have yielded some measure of positive results, they have also increased the vulnerability of some populations, such as women and girls. For example, the closure of schools has seen adolescent and teenage girls exposed to early child marriage, female genital mutilation, trafficking, child labor and other forms of exploitation. Staying home has also limited their access to comprehensive sexuality education, which has potential to contribute to teen pregnancies. Their exposure to sexual and gender-based violence during this time is imminent. Women largely depend on the informal economy for their livelihoods, but with the pandemic severely affecting their movement and their small businesses, they have been left economically exposed. Weak and overstretched health systems have seen governments divert most of their resources to mitigating the challenges of COVID-19. This has caused disruption of services in health facilities and affected the supply of commodities such as contraceptives and HIV drugs. Lockdowns and curfews have further aggravated the situation by limiting populations’ access to hospitals. Women can no longer easily visit their regular healthcare providers for their family planning needs. This could lead to unplanned pregnancies which may result increased cases of unsafe abortion. It has also become increasingly difficult for pregnant women to access antenatal, delivery and post-natal care services, putting them at greater risk for negative birth outcomes. As the world commemorates this important day, we implore governments and other stakeholders to recognize the gender dynamics during pandemics such as COVID-19, and work towards ensuring that women and girls have unhindered access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services. Media Contacts: -Maryanne Wanyama, Communications Officer, IPPFARO, Nairobi (Kenya) – Email: [email protected] -Sam Ntelamo, Resident Representative, International Planned Parenthood Federation, Liaison Office to the African Union & UNECA, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) – Phone: +251 (11) 667 0699/0761 - Mobile +251 (0) 944 73 2051- Email: [email protected]

Women sexual and reproductive health (SRH) champions in Uganda are leading efforts to protect women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. As women leaders, they are uniquely placed to be agents change – working to break the silence and stigma around SGBV; changing harmful attitudes and behaviour; and promoting women’s and children’s rights. They are also well known and respected in their respective communities in Hoima (western region), Arua (northern region) and Kapchorwa (western region), so victims of abuse and domestic violence feel comfortable and safe turning to them for help. As in many other countries across the continent, Uganda has seen a significant rise in incidences of rape, defilement, and intimate partner violence since the government issued strict lockdown measures to contain the outbreak of COVID-19. The issue attracted national attention, when at the height of the lockdown in early May, President Yoweri Museveni in a televised address expressed his dismay at the increasing cases of domestic violence against women and children. The 113 SRH champions who include women pressure group leaders and peer educators were trained by IPPF’s member association in Uganda -Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU), on SGBV, women’s and children’s rights and how to support survivors in their communities. Through their networks, the champions identify and reach out to women and girls encountering physical, sexual and psychological violence, and support them by linking them to health facilities for care, counselling and psychosocial support, as well as to the police and legal services for redress. RHU provides the champions with airtime for their phones so that they can keep in touch and follow-up with the survivors of abuse and help them in their healing process. They also receive SMS and distress calls from victims of abuse at night, and many have had to provide them with temporary accommodation as they tried to resolve the conflicts in their relationships. The member association also facilitates talks shows with local radio stations – Radio Hoima (in Hoima), Elgon FM Radio 94.5 (in Kapchorwa) and Access Broadcasting FM (in Arua) where the champions engage in discussions around strategies for preventing domestic violence in their communities. They discuss the root causes of SGBV, its harmful consequences and the importance of promoting women’s and children’s rights. They also emphasize the crucial role of involving men in preventing GBV and the need for positive role models for men and boys in the community. Some of common topics covered during the radio shows include:  gender roles and division of labour in the home during the lockdown; the needs and rights of children; where to access GBV services during the pandemic; family planning and where they can get sexual reproductive health services during the lockdown. The talk shows are participatory and very popular with the audiences dialing in and asking questions. For more information about the work of IPPF Africa Region, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Par Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry La pandémie de COVID-19 continue à ravager le monde, causant des souffrances et une misère indicibles. Tout notre univers a été bouleversé en quelques mois. Des millions de personnes, en particulier les personnes âgées, sont tombées gravement malades; et des milliers d'autres, y compris des agents de santé, sont morts après avoir contracté le virus mortel. L'économie mondiale a littéralement été mise à genoux avec l'effondrement des entreprises, détruisant ainsi les moyens de subsistance des plus exclus et des plus démunis et les poussant vers  l'extrême pauvreté. On ne sait toujours pas comment le nouveau coronavirus, également connu sous le nom de virus SARS-Cov-2, est transmis en Afrique. Pour l'instant, le virus semble se propager à un rythme beaucoup plus lent qu'en Europe et aux États-Unis. Mais cela peut être largement dû au manque de tests généralisés. Selon l'Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS), le taux de transmission actuellement plus faible sur le continent se traduira très probablement par une épidémie prolongée sur plusieurs années. Les pays africains ont déjà commencé à assouplir les mesures, y compris les restrictions et les couvre-feux ce qui risque d’entrainer une forte hausse des taux d'infection répertoriés au cours des semaines à venir.  La crainte de contracter l’infection et d’en mourir, les difficultés financières, les pertes d'emplois et le sentiment d'impuissance ont bouleversé tous les aspects de la vie des Africains, particulièrement en ce qui concerne les femmes et les filles. Les femmes sont, dans une large mesure, plus durement touchées que les hommes par la crise en raison des normes patriarcales existantes, des rôles traditionnels basés sur le genre, des inégalités et de la discrimination profondément ancrées dans la culture. Ce sont les femmes qui portent le plus lourd fardeau de l'épidémie, car dans leurs rôles traditionnels de femmes au foyer, de mères et d'épouses, elles sont responsables de veiller à ce que la vie continue même si tout ce qui les entoure s'effondre. Dans leurs rôles de soutien et de dispensatrices de soins, les femmes doivent prendre soin des membres de la famille touchés par la maladie. Elles représentent également  la majorité des agents de santé dans les hôpitaux et sont exposées de manière disproportionnée à ce virus dévastateur. Lorsque toutes les ressources humaines et médicales disponibles, y compris les sages-femmes, sont déployées pour lutter contre l'épidémie du coronavirus, les femmes rencontrent d'énormes difficulté à accéder aux services de santé sexuelle et reproductive (SSR) et de santé maternelle essentiels à leur survie, ce qui les expose à un risque accru de grossesses non désirées. Le manque d’accès aux services de santé sexuelle et reproductive accroit le risque d’infection au VIH et autres maladies  sexuellement transmissibles, les avortements à risque et les décès lors de l'accouchement.  Les violences domestiques et basées sur le genre sont en forte augmentation et les recours, déjà difficiles en situation habituelle deviennent quasiment impossibles en période de pandémie, ce qui laisse présager un recul des grandes avancées qui avaient été faites dans ce domaine. Pourtant, la pandémie est plus qu'une urgence médicale. C'est aussi une crise sociale et économique. En Afrique, Plus de 75% des femmes vivent et survivent de l'économie informelle, soit comme vendeuses de rue, soit comme commerçantes du marché ou autres travaux précaires de subsistance. Beaucoup ne peuvent plus subvenir aux besoins de leur famille, car leurs petites entreprises ont été affectées par des mesures de prévention du coronavirus telles que les quarantaines, les confinements, les restrictions de voyage et la distanciation sociale. À bien des égards, la pandémie a amplifié les inégalités persistantes entre les sexes dans la société. Malheureusement, des progrès significatifs dans la promotion de l’égalité des sexes et des droits des femmes, y compris des gains durement acquis en matière de santé et de droits sexuels et reproductifs (SDSR) au cours des dernières décennies, sont en train de s’inverser. Cela souligne la nécessité urgente de sauvegarder ces acquis en s'attaquant à l'impact négatif disproportionné du COVID-19 sur la santé et le bien-être des femmes et des filles. Dans un effort pour garantir que les droits humains, l'égalité des sexes et les droits à la sante sexuelle et de la reproduction pour tous ne sont pas négligés pendant cette crise et ses conséquences, trois ONG internationales se sont engagées à faire progresser la défense, la protection et la promotion des droits humains pour tous sans discrimination – Le Bureau régional pour l’Afrique de la Fédération Internationale pour la Planification Familiale (IPPFRA), Amnesty International et Women's Link Worldwide - ont élaboré des directives pour aider les autorités et agences gouvernementales nationales et locales, ainsi que les organisations sous-régionales et régionales, à mieux comprendre leurs obligations et à mettre en œuvre des mesures adéquates en matière de droits des femmes et des filles pendant la pandémie. Les «Lignes directrices à l'intention des États africains pour protéger les droits des femmes et des filles pendant la pandémie de COVID 19» lancées le 7 mai 2020, soulignent également l’obligation des États de garantir le droit de vivre à l’abri de la discrimination et de la violence et appellent les gouvernements à garantir l’accès à  l’informations, aux produits de base et aux services essentiels en matière de santé sexuelle et reproductive pendant la pandémie. Les lignes directrices s'articulent autour de cinq piliers clés: le droit de vivre à l'abri de la violence et de ne pas être soumis à la torture ni à des traitements cruels, inhumains ou dégradants; L’accès aux services, produits et informations de santé sexuelle et reproductive; L’accès à la justice; l’accès à tous ces services pour les femmes et les filles se trouvant dans un contexte de migration et de mobilité humaine; La mise en œuvre de mesure de protection et de subsistance pour les femmes et les filles vivant de l'économie informelle. De toute évidence, les interventions collectives et coordonnées visant à atténuer la crise et à l’enrayer ne réussiront que si les voix des femmes sont incluses et que leurs droits fondamentaux sont respectés et garantis. Il s'agit d'une condition préalable à la construction d'un avenir post COVID-19 plus sain, plus juste et plus équitable pour tous. Marie-Evelyne Petrus Barry est la Directrice régionale, Bureau régional de l'IPPF Afrique, basé à Nairobi. E-mail: [email protected] Lisez cet article en anglais ici. Pour plus d'informations sur le travail de l'IPPF Région Afrique, suivez-nous sur Facebook et Twitter.

By Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry (Regional Director, IPPF Africa Region) The COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world causing untold suffering and misery. The world has been turned upside down within a few months. Millions of people, particularly the elderly, have fallen critically ill; and thousands more, including health workers, have died after contracting the deadly virus. The world economy has literally been brought to its knees with businesses collapsing, destroying livelihoods and pushing many people into extreme poverty.  It is still unclear how the new coronavirus, also known as virus SARS-Cov-2 virus, is being transmitted in Africa. For now, the virus appears to be spreading at a much slower rate than in Europe and USA. But this may largely be due to lack of widespread testing. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the current lower rate of transmission on the continent will most likely translate into a more prolonged outbreak over several years. And as African countries start easing restrictions including lockdowns and curfews, infections rates are expected to rise sharply in the coming weeks. From fears of contracting and dying from the infection, financial worries, to job losses, and feeling of helplessness, the deadly disease has affected all aspects of life. Women, to a large extent, are more adversely affected than men by the crisis due to existing patriarchal norms, traditional gender roles, and deep-rooted inequalities. They bear the heaviest burden of the outbreak because in their traditional roles as homemakers, mothers, and wives, they are responsible for ensuring that life goes even as everything around them is falling apart. In their nurturing and caregiving roles, women have to take care of sick family members; and as the majority of health workers in hospitals; they are disproportionately exposed to the deadly virus. And when all available medical resources, including midwives, are deployed towards addressing the coronavirus  outbreak, women face enormous difficulties accessing essential life-saving sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and maternal health services, putting them at greater risk of unintended pregnancies, HIV and sexually transmitted infections, unsafe abortion and even death during childbirth.  And equally distressing is the reported increase in cases of gender-based violence. Yet the pandemic is more than a medical emergency. It is also a social and economic crisis. Over 75% of women in Africa eke out a living from the informal economy as street food vendors and market traders. Many can no longer provide for their families as their small enterprises have been affected by containment measures such as quarantines, lockdowns, travel restrictions and social distancing. In many ways, the pandemic has magnified persistent gender inequalities in society. And sadly, significant progress in advancing gender equality and women’s rights, including hard-won gains for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) over the past decades, is being reversed. This underscores an urgent need to safeguard these gains by addressing the disproportionately negative impact of COVID-19 on the health and well-being of women and girls. In an effort to ensure human rights, gender equality and SRHR for all are not neglected during this crisis and in its aftermath, three international NGOs committed to advancing the enjoyment of human rights for all without discrimination – International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR), Amnesty International, and Women's Link Worldwide – developed guidelines to help national and local government authorities and agencies, as well as sub-regional and regional organizations, better understand the obligations they must fulfil with regard to women and girls' rights during the pandemic. The “Guidelines for African States to Protect the Rights of Women and Girls during the COVID 19 Pandemic,” launched on 7 May 2020, provide a roadmap for governments and regional organisations for taking the necessary measures to protect the rights of women and girls, who are often disproportionately affected in crisis situations. They also highlight states’ obligations to guarantee the right to live free from discrimination and violence and calls on governments to ensure access to essential sexual and reproductive health services, commodities and information during the pandemic. The guidelines revolve around five key pillars: The rights to live free from violence and to be free from torture and cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment; access to sexual and reproductive health services, commodities and information; access to justice; women and girls in the context of migration and human mobility; and women and informal economy. Clearly, collective and coordinated mitigation and recovery interventions will only succeed if women’s voices are included; and their fundamental rights are respected and guaranteed. This is a prerequisite for building a healthier, more equitable, fairer post COVID-19 future for all. Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry is the Regional Director, IPPF Africa Region based in Nairobi. E-mail: [email protected]   Read this article in French here. For more information about the work of IPPF Africa Region, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.