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User:John Cummings/Archive/COVID for orgs/Main messages

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Main messages[edit]

This page is used to collate main messages organisations are producing on COVID-19 related topics which can be included in Wikipedia either to inform topics covered in articles or to be used as quotes. These messages may be key facts on aspects of the pandemic, recommendations of actions to take (which can be added to Wikipedia as 'this organisation recommends....) or other topics.

How to add information to this page[edit]

Using the template at the bottom of the page please add a list of messages, references and suggested articles by clicking the 'Edit with VisualEditor' button. Please remember to click 'Publish changes' to save your additions to the page.

  • Topic: The topic of the message e.g women in healthcare
  • Message: Messages should be at least 2 sentences long. Please write the message in your own words to avoid copyright issues.
  • References: Please add references for the messages, we cannot add the messages into Wikipedia unless references are added
  • Suggested articles: Which articles you suggest these messages are integrated into.
  • Notes: Any additional information that may be useful e.g who collected the messages.

Using the information on this page[edit]

  1. Look at the messages.
  2. Add them to Wikipedia articles with references.
  3. Add where this information has been added to the table by clicking 'Edit with VisualEditor'.

Sourcing messages[edit]

There are several ways of finding the main messages organisations are providing including:

  1. Looking on their websites or on social media
  2. Asking them directly either through email or social media

Please only add messaging from organisations who are reliable sources.


Messages[edit]

Edit with VisualEditor


UN Women[edit]

Topic Message References Suggested articles Notes Where this information has been added
Front line medical staff Women are playing a disproportionate role in responding to the disease, including as frontline healthcare workers, carers at home and community leaders and mobilizers. Experience of other disease outbreaks shows that this care burden also increases their risk of infection. Globally, women make up 70 per cent of workers in the health and social sector.

In some countries, COVID-19 infections among female health workers are twice that of their male counterparts. Governments should ensure that all care-sector professionals, and health-care and long-term care workers in particular, have adequate protection against transmission. Data examples here:

https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2020/04/policy-brief-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-women

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/in-focus-gender-equality-in-covid-19-response

https://data.unwomen.org/resources/covid-19-emerging-gender-data-and-why-it-matters

Messages collected from UN Women by John Cummings, Wikimedian in Residence at UNESCO
Care work When health systems are overloaded, a greater burden is placed on care in the home and that burden lands largely with women. Globally, women do three times as much unpaid care work as men. https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2020/04/policy-brief-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-women

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/in-focus-gender-equality-in-covid-19-response

https://data.unwomen.org/resources/covid-19-emerging-gender-data-and-why-it-matters

Economic impacts Women are hit harder by economic impacts such as those COVID-19 is driving. Women disproportionately work in insecure labour. Disruptions, including movement restrictions, can remove women’s ability to make a living and meet their families’ basic needs as was seen in the Ebola crisis, and have long-lasting impacts on their economic livelihoods and well-being, well beyond the pandemic is over. https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2020/04/policy-brief-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-women

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/in-focus-gender-equality-in-covid-19-response

https://data.unwomen.org/resources/covid-19-emerging-gender-data-and-why-it-matters

Violence against women Domestic violence and sexual exploitation, which is already an epidemic in all societies, spike when households are placed under the increased strains that come from security, health and money worries, and cramped and confined living conditions.


We see this frequently among displaced populations in crowded refugee camps, and reported domestic violence has tripled recently in some countries practising social distancing. As the pandemic takes a foothold, we are witnessing increased rates of gender-based violence in public spaces in addition to domestic violence.


More domestic violence helplines and shelters across the world are reporting rising calls for help. In Argentina, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States, government authorities, women’s rights activists and civil society partners have flagged increasing reports of domestic violence during the crisis, and heightened demand for emergency shelter.


Helplines in Singapore and Cyprus have registered an increase in calls by more than 30 per cent. In Australia, 40 per cent of frontline workers in a New South Wales survey reported increased requests for help with violence that was escalating in intensity. (https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/multimedia/2020/4/infographic-covid19-violence-against-women-and-girls)


In China, activists have reported a surge in domestic violence cases as millions of people have been under quarantine. As movement restrictions increase online gaming and use of chat rooms, cyberviolence too has become a routine feature of the internet, and as movement restrictions increase online gaming and use of chat rooms, this is an area for vigilance to protect girls. Other forms of GBV are also exacerbated in crisis contexts. For example, the economic impacts of the 2013-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, placed women and children at greater risk of exploitation and sexual violence.


Women are resorting to different measures to get help. Example: In France, victims are using code words at their local pharmacy counters To discreetly ask for help. https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/02/europe/domestic-violence-coronavirus-lockdown-intl/index.html

Some countries have taken special measures already. Canada included 50M as part of its COVID-19 aid package to support shelters for those facing GBV and sexual assault.

https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2020/04/policy-brief-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-women

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/in-focus-gender-equality-in-covid-19-response

https://data.unwomen.org/resources/covid-19-emerging-gender-data-and-why-it-matters

Healthcare Overstretched health services often divert resources away from services women need, including pre- and post-natal health care and contraceptives, and exacerbate a lack of access to sexual and reproductive health services. https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2020/04/policy-brief-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-women

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/in-focus-gender-equality-in-covid-19-response

https://data.unwomen.org/resources/covid-19-emerging-gender-data-and-why-it-matters

UNFPA[edit]

Topic Message References Suggested articles Notes Where this information has been added
Women and girls The Covid-19 pandemic will have unproportionate effects on women and girls, because of existing gender inequalities and vulnerabilities, increased risk of gender based violence, and sexual and reproductive health needs that are not met because of overburdened health systems.. To be added shortly, checking with UNFPA Messages collected from UNFPA by Wikipedia Sweden
Health care systems Keep the health system functioning: Maintain sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information and services, protect health workers and limit spread of COVID-19. This includes a comprehensive approach to SRHR information and services encompassing antenatal care (ANC), care during childbirth, postnatal care (PNC), contraception, safe abortion care, prevention, testing and treatment of HIV, where relevant, as well as sexually transmitted infections (STI), detection and treatment of GBV, and sexual health services and information. To be added shortly, checking with UNFPA
Health care systems Provision of modern short- and long-acting contraceptives, information, counselling and services (including emergency contraception) is lifesaving and should be available and accessible during the COVID-19 pandemic response. To be added shortly, checking with UNFPA
Health care systems Comprehensive abortion care including post abortion care should be accessible to the full extent of the law, and may be made avaialble to women on an outpatient basis or through telemedicine to the extent possible, using medical methods of abortion. To be added shortly, checking with UNFPA
Health care systems To maintain the health system, protection of health care workers is essential, this includes those that are not directly working with covid19 patients but also midwives, nurses, pharmacists, and doctors. To be added shortly, checking with UNFPA
Reproductive health COVID-19 is not a sexually transmitted infection, however since it is transmitted through droplets of saliva, sex is considered a high risk activity To be added shortly, checking with UNFPA
Data collection Surveillance and response systems should be disaggregated by sex, age, gender, and pregnancy status. Where relevant, special attention should be given to vulnerable populations such as persons with disabilities, HIV-positive persons, adolescents, elderly, indigenous people, people of African descent, refugees and migrants. To be added shortly, checking with UNFPA

UNESCO[edit]

Topic Message References Suggested articles Notes Where this information has been added
Coming soon

Example template[edit]

Topic Message References Suggested articles Notes Where this information has been added