Impacts of COVID-19 on Society and Especially on Women – Report Launched by NCSW

Islamabad: 08 Dec 2021 – A report “impacts of COVID-19 on the society at large especially in the case of women” launch ceremony was held  at the Marriott Hotel Islamabad; Dr. Shireen M Mazari, Federal Minister for Human Rights graced the event as Chief Guest, and Dr. Nausheen Hamid as the Guest of Honor. The event was organized by the National Commission for the Status of Women (NCSW) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) as one of the events for 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence.

The event focused upon the impacts of COVID-19 on the society at large especially in the case of women it concentrated upon the rise in GBV and domestic abuse cases throughout the pandemic. It was a phenomenon observed globally where pressure and stress generating from COVID-19’s impact on the economy and employment led to a rising sense of intolerance and lack of patience especially in the households.

Khawar Mumtaz and Kausar S. Khan, the co-writers of the report elaborated on the findings on the report and touched upon the short and long term recommendations provided for the provincial and federal government’s pursual.
Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of National Health Services, Nausheen Hamid talked about the successful strategy of the Government to combat Covid-19 which led Pakistan to perform way better than its neighboring countries.

The Minister for Human Rights also deliberated upon the immense efforts of Government of Pakistan in curbing the direct medical impacts of COVID-19 however she also recognized this sociological impact of COVID-19 particularly on women of Pakistan. She pressed on the need for strengthening existing complaint and redressal mechanisms along with enhancing women’s access to GBV services and pressed upon the dire need for mainstreaming the issue of GBV.

Moreover, the Ms. Nilofar Bakhtiar Chairperson NCSW, also informed the participants about Pakistan’s abysmal global status in case of GBV indicators, where the prevailing gender disparity in the country (ranked 151 out of 153 countries in 2020 WEF’s Global Gender Gap Index; 152 out of 189 countries in UNDP’s Gender Inequality Index).

She also recognized the role of Punjab PCSW-WDD Helpline, MOHR’s Helpline, DRF National Helpline and Sindh Legal Advisory Call Centre for their consistent efforts to curb GBV across Pakistan especially during the pandemic.