Ministers in charge of Gender and Women Affairs of ECOWAS have declared
their total commitment to fight for the complete eradication of the
Ebola Viral Disease (EVD) and for life to return to normal in the
region.
In a communique issued after an interactive session held on the margins
of the 59th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in
New York, the ministers pledged to achieve their aim through supporting
member states, ECOWAS and the development partners in their effort to
fight EVD.
The meeting discussed the negative impact of EVD at social and economic
levels on women in West Africa and agreed on priority actions and
strategies to be carried out to overcome the negative consequences of
EVD on women in West Africa.
It was on the theme: “Gender and Ebola, the impact of the disease on women in West Africa.”
The ministers further requested ECOWAS, the UN Mission for Ebola
Emergency Response (UNMEER), the African Union (AU) and other partners
to be actively involved and regularly consult the national gender
machinery for actions to be carried out for a response against the EVD
in the short, medium and long terms.
On medical support, the communique called for an upgrading of the
health systems of all West African countries, particularly in the
countries affected, “to ensure permanent resilience to this type of
scourges.”
In addition, the ministers emphasised the need for measures to address the social needs of the widows and orphans.
The communique further said the sanitary measures in force at the
borders and in public places should be maintained and permanent public
awareness campaigns carried out through women’s groups and organisations
for the adoption of sustainable hygienic behaviours.
In a statement to open the meeting, the Minister of Gender, Children
and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur, who is also the Chairperson of
the ECOWAS Gender Ministers group, said the Ebola outbreak had caused so
much humanitarian disaster, displaced many people and created a wave of
orphans, and also negatively impacted the economic fortunes of affected
countries and the sub-region as a whole. “Since Ebola is spread through
bodily fluids, women as primary care providers in the community and as
medical professionals are at an increased risk of contracting the virus.
Furthermore, women are those who perform certain traditional practices
and rituals for deceased persons. This poses a threat,” Nana Oye said.
She said unverified figures cited by the World Health Organisation (WHO)
estimated that as many as 75 per cent Ebola fatalities in Liberia were
women, while in Sierra Leone, women represented around 59 per cent of
the deaths caused by Ebola. She said the Ebola response should address
the needs of women and equip them with the requisite knowledge on Ebola
so that they would be in a better position to support the Ebola
prevention programmes. “We request that the planning, programming,
procurement, management, community programmes and recovery processes be
made gender sensitive and participatory,” she added and called on the
international community, governments and other stakeholders to focus on
women as key agents of change and social mobilisers with a central role
to play in sharing knowledge, raising awareness and enhancing care.
Ms Julia Duncan-Cassell, Minister of Gender, Children and Social
Protection of the Republic of Liberia, said border closures and travel
restrictions greatly affected the livelihoods of women who were mostly
cross-border traders.
“From June to October 2014, Liberia stood still; women farmers could
not farm, health services shut down and pregnant women had babies on the
streets,” she said.
She called on all to work to isolate the disease because of its devastating effect on a country’s development.
“This time it was Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia , we don’t know
whose turn it will be next if the proper procedures are not put in
place,” she said.
source: Ghana web
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