COVID-19: PGI makes case for vulnerable women

An Abuja-based non-governmental (NGO), Proactive Gender Initiative (PGI) has called for greater attention to women during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown, stressing that women and children were the most vulnerable in crisis period.

The National Coordinator of PGI, Barr. Esther Uzoma, said, Thursday in Abuja, that the lockdown had further demonstrated why women needed to be economical and political empowered.

She said the organisation’s findings showed that more women had suffered one form of domestic and economic abuse during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It is important to stress that the coronavirus pandemic has once again brought to fore the urgency of why women ought to be economically and politically empowered. Most women have faced domestic abuse from their partners because they are not in a position to support their families economically.

“Some women have found it difficult to access medical care because either they cannot move to any medical facility due to distance or the security personnel on the roads won’t simply be considerate to their plight.

“For instance, in Mpape, Abuja, a pregnant woman was caught up in movement lockdown and was dilating prompting other women to rally round her so that her life and that of her unborn child are preserved,” Uzoma pointed out.

She stated that if more women were politically empowered, they will be in a position to make pro-gender policies which she said were “sadly lacking.”

Uzoma while commending the presidential taskforce on the Covid-19, urged the members not to relent despite some misgivings in some quarters, stressing that the committee should see this as an opportunity to make sacrifice for the greater good.

Also, she commended those in the frontline of the battle against Covid-19, medical personnel and the media, stating: “you are writing your names in the annals of the country’s history.

“To all those in the medical sector, you must not waver, you must not tire as the first line of action in the coronavirus pandemic fight. Your worthy commitment is being documented and without a doubt, history will be kind to you.

“To the media and all those who have to work so that we stay informed and not have an entire system collapse, we at the PGI thank you and urge you not to relent.”

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