Covid fight needs women to be agents of change

By LAKSHMI PURI

In our Covid wars, it’s time to remember Rani Lakshmi Bai, Sarojini Naidu, Matangini Hazra and all women who fought with indomitable courage in India’s wars of independence in the 19th and 20th century.

Mahatma Gandhi demonstrated the power of women’s equal voice, participation and leadership in driving the success of his Satyagraha mass movement and in winning the war of Independence against British colonialism. He saw women’s moral courage, patience and sacrificing spirit for the greater good as a profound resource for inspiring every Indian household to be a battlefield for the war of independence. He wanted them to break the shackles of domesticity and male oppression, mobilise the masses and achieve their personal and national independence.\


Their leadership was to be yoked for economic reconstruction and social reformation after independence too. Fast forward to 2020, India is pitted against a deadly, highly contagious and invidious Covid-19 pandemic threatening to engulf India and it’s 1.3 billion people and cause unprecedented suffering, deaths, social turmoil and economic setback. PM Modi, leading an epic war on this global pandemic, like Mahatma Gandhi, his hero, recognises that this war has to be won through woman power in our homes, war rooms and frontlines. and primarily as a Nagrik Dharma Yuddha.

Pending mass vaccination, Nagarik Dharma Yuddha or War by Civic Duty, is a vital strategy to prevent a tragedy of mass contagion and requires everyone, everywhere, especially women and girls, to be agents of change and adaptation. Women must lead the observance of the lockdown, curtailment of economic activity and work, social distancing and home stay, rules of hygiene and sanitation, reporting, testing, quarantine, hospitalisation and contact tracing disciplines and cooperation with Covid warriors—government, police, health, medical and sanitation authorities and personnel.

Never in history has micro level action and transformation of human behaviour been so crucial to the very existence and sustainability of a country, it’s people and humanity itself. We need to deploy woman power to drive this behavioural transformation. Women’s sense of national unity and purpose, courage, patience and readiness to sacrifice and suffer temporary hardship for own safety and survival and that of others is an invaluable asset.

It enables each household and community to become a fortress to prevent and defeat the Covid-19 pandemic. It is commendable that PM’s A-team includes women leaders, civil servants and scientists who are developing and deploying the weapons of low-cost rapid testing, vaccines and treatment and coordinating and monitoring the war efforts. His top Covid-19 generals include secretary health and social welfare Preeti Sudan, secretary-biotechnology Renu Swarup, Priya Abraham, who heads the National Institute of Virology, Pune and Nivedita Gupta, incharge of viral diseases.

We have thousands of women Covid-19 warriors on the frontlines—doctors, nurses (80% women) testing teams, vaccine researchers, sanitation workers, among others. Women civil servants and police at Centre, state and local levels are managing and enforcing the lockdown but also overseeing necessary relief and social protection activities. These need protective gear, facilities and accommodation.

Backstopping them are women entrepreneurs, technologists and workers who manufacture medicines, medical supplies and equipment — from face masks to PPE and those that power the supply chains of essential goods and services. Women leaders and opinion makers in philanthropy, civil society, business, media and SHGs are contributing too.

Particularly vulnerable to social and economic disruption are rural and urban women and girls living below the poverty line and in slums, those working in the informal sector on precarious jobs (nearly 75%) especially domestic workers and micro and small entrepreneurs. Those employed in women intensive sectors such as textile and garment, hospitality, tourism and travel, agriculture, education, retail, administrative and IT, cottage industries and entertainment face challenges too. Many women are facing loss of livelihood and employment and means of subsistence, food insecurity, cash flow problems and increased burden of care work at home.

Constrained access to maternal and child care, and to family planning services including contraceptives raise reproductive health-related concerns that must be addressed.

Helplines and response services must be available as an essential service to deal with increased domestic violence against women and girls. Minister for women and child development Smriti Irani and CSOs are pushing for a slew of measures for Centre and state governments to implement.

It will need to be ensured that during and after the crisis these issues of concern to women and girls are addressed though social protection measures, stimulus packages and implementation of PM ’s schemes in a targeted way at all levels in India. In the post Covid war period, we must Build Back Better to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5 and agender equal economy, society and health ecosystem as a vital part of a New Nagarik Dharma.

(The author is former Assistant Secretary General, United Nations)