COVID-19: Reality Check

Within the space of a couple of weeks, life as we have known it has changed. The arrival of COVID-19 has become the biggest global emergency since the Second World War and brought with it more suffering than we ever could have imagined. 

Mother nature has spoken and has given us all a well-needed reality check— a reminder of WHAT and WHO is important, and how fragile and precious life is.  

The first reminder is that we are all one and the same. No matter what false idea of superiority the Western world functions on, a virus does not regard borders, race, ethnicity, social status, religion or gender. Privilege does not grant us immunity. However, in the same way, it is this privilege that grants us access to adequate health care, sanitisation products and a safe home to shelter in.

While researching for this post, I came across a blog post on the MSF (Medecins Sans Frontiers) website that I have linked here. It is a moving piece that outlines the reality of coronavirus for developing countries where health-care systems like the NHS are unheard of, war and conflict are a reality of daily existence and where social distancing is essentially impossible due to overcrowded housing and slums. 

Death from disease due to inadequate health care is common in developing countries. As we know, Ebola is a highly infectious virus that kills up to 90% of those who catch it and has killed thousands, primarily in Africa, over the past 40 years. The latest outbreak in Congo was just last year and continues to this day. However, this has gone relatively unreported in Western media and there remains no specific cure or treatment yet. 

There is now an urgent appeal from governments to medical workers and scientists across the globe to find a form of treatment and vaccines for coronavirus- rightly so. However, while this is key to saving the lives of many, it proves that governments can act decisively when they need to. I cannot help but question why the same effort has not been implemented for diseases such as Ebola that have wiped out entire families in Africa and other developing countries? We are all now experiencing the fear and worries already felt by so many in our own society and across the globe. My hope is that, once this is all over, governments, leaders and policy makers realise that they need to collaborate on a global scale to prevent and tackle health crises that affect the developing world every day. 

 "I hope COVID-19 not only teaches us to wash our hands but makes governments understand that healthcare must be for all."- Jonathan Whittal, MSF Director of Analysis.

Coronavirus has reminded us that we are all one and the same. But it has also further highlighted the inhumane divide of privilege that exists between the developed world and its neighbours.

The second reminder is a more positive one, and that is of the importance of loved ones. 

Social distancing and semi-lockdown have brought the country to a standstill; forcing us all into our homes and to inevitably slowdown from the fast-paced nature of life. With the constant demands of work, university studies and everyday life, we often forget to make time for those who matter most to us. 

I am not saying that before all of this we did not appreciate our loved ones, however, there is something special about how I have seen families unite in this time of crisis. My social media timeline is not only filled with people spending quality time with their loved ones but also devoting time to themselves, doing things that their busy schedules would not normally allow them to do. I know that I have spoken to my grandparents more in the last couple of weeks than I would have the rest of the year and that is something I will continue to do once life returns to normal. Perhaps, we should all make a conscious effort to maintain these habits when we return to our usual routines. Whether that be going on a family bike ride, going for lunch with our grandparents or simply taking the time to sit and reflect on life and what is important to us…

The third reminder is of the immeasurable value of essential workers- those in society who long before this virus dedicated their everyday lives to helping others and who went under appreciated by governments and people. It is the nurses, doctors, public health workers, care givers, social workers, supermarket workers and teachers who are carrying us all through this scary time. And sadly, it is these individuals who are least paid and have been subject to government cuts over the last couple of years. 



In the last couple of weeks, there has been more government appraisal and support of the NHS than ever before. And while it is good that their vital work is finally being recognised and supported, it is sad that it is under these heartbreaking circumstances that this is the case…my only hope is that, once this is all over, their value is remembered and duly rewarded. 

The final reminder is of the importance of community. As I previously mentioned, we live in a society that operates at a hundred miles an hour and because of this, we often become detached from one another. But for all of the negative outcomes that this pandemic has brought, one thing that I have seen is people, whether that be in real-life or online, coming together and supporting each other. It is a beautiful thing and something that we should all be encouraged to do. Whether that is through delivering essentials to elderly or vulnerable neighbours, supporting local food businesses or simply just a phone call to check in on someone… it might be just exactly what they need and it could also make your own day that little bit brighter too. 

So that is my humble opinion on what we can learn from this unprecedented time of our lives. I remain positive that we can emerge from this pandemic stronger as a global community, appreciative of our essential workers and think about what we can do to close the inequality gap that exists between us and those who, through a cruel twist of fate, are not as privileged. Hopefully our governments and leaders will do the same... 

Stay indoors, stay positive and remember that it’s okay not to have it all together in this scary time. 

2020: The Year of the Woman?

2020 is a momentous year for women’s rights across the globe, marking the 25^th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, where 189 governments committed to the advancement of gender equality. 2020 is also the 10^th anniversary of the establishment of U.N. Women, and the 100^th year of women’s suffrage in the U.S. 

Yet, in 2020 no country has achieved gender equality.

As we prepare to celebrate International Women’s Day on Sunday, March 8, this year more than ever it is important to not only celebrate the progress made towards gender equality since the landmark declaration but also establish what vital change still needs to happen. Today, I want to reflect on key areas where improvement has been seen but also where vast inequality still exists. 

Women’s voices are getting louder across the globe. 

Photo: Christina Animashaun/Vox

In recent years, the rise of the #MeToo movement has pushed a vital conversation about sexual violence into the public domain. Originating in 2006 on the social media of activist Tarana Burke, the viral #MeToo hashtag has transformed into the world’s first mass movement that empowers and stands in solidarity with the victims of sexual abuse. 

The latest example of its success is the conviction of Harvey Weinstein- considered a #MeToo milestone. The series of accusations against the Hollywood producer in October 2017 propelled the movement into action, creating a collective community where victims who had been silenced by rape culture could speak out. Since then, over 250 influential people have been the subject of sexual harassment, assault, or other misconduct allegations. 

Weinstein was found guilty of rape and a criminal sexual act- making him the first high-profile figure to be convicted from this movement. While the fact that one of Hollywood’s best-known directors even stood trial is momentous and marks a cultural shift in the way the justice system responds to sexual abuse, it has not been without struggle and pain for countless women. After all, it is worth remembering that, regardless of the backlash the movement has received for being an apparent 'witch-hunt' of men, Weinstein only stood trial for 5 cases out of over 80 filed against him. 

 “And, though today a man has been found guilty, we have to wonder whether anyone will care about the rest of us tomorrow. This is why we say MeToo.”- Tarana Burke

Many of the women that have accused powerful men have faced extreme backlash- creating a culture of shame that continues to silence women. From all over the world to right on our doorstep, only 23% of survivors report sexual abuse crimes. 

Women’s voices are getting louder, but we must listen. 

Improvements in Health and Education 

Improvements in women's and girl’s health and education worldwide is one of the major successes over the past 25 years. There are now more girls are at school than ever before, global literacy rates are rising and on average, the gender gap in school enrolment has closed. We know that education and health go hand in hand, for example, statistics have shown that educated girls are likely to have fewer babies and to be better mothers. This means that improving women's sexual and reproductive health is extremely important. 

Thankfully, this has been seen in many developing countries across the world. For example, both Ethiopia and Rwanda have increased access to modern contraception by 40 percent since 2000.  As a result, fewer women are dying in childbirth and have access to institutional maternity care. 

“Education is a powerful way to break the cycle of poverty, ill health, misery, and low status passed on from one generation of women to the next” - Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization

However, there are a staggering number of girls across the world who still have little or no access to education, with nearly half a billion of those aged over 15 being illiterate. The reason for this is that in many countries, the education of girls is not valued. In Northern Nigeria, for example, girls from poorer families are hit even harder, with families seeing it as more sensible to send boys to school and let girls stay home to help with chores. In terms of health, sexual and reproductive health conditions remain one of the leading causes of disease for women and girls. 

Every girl, no matter where she lives, should have the right to safe and quality education so that she can have the future she dreams of and .  

For more info on the importance of women's education, the Malala Fund website is a good place to start. 

Women in Power 

Photo: Jason Straziuso/AP

Although we live in a world where the words men and power are synonymous with each other, there are many reasons to be optimistic. Since the Beijing Declaration, there have been many powerful women crashing through the glass ceiling that exists in politics. In fact, over three-quarters of the world's female Prime Ministers and Presidents have taken office in the past two decades. 

Around the world, there are more women in politics than ever before- taking positions of power in places where there previously existed a deep-rooted belief that only men should be leaders. 

A major success story of women challenging the status quo has taken place in Rwanda. Having been recently named the number 1 country for women in politics, in Rwanda there is the highest number of female parliament representatives in the world. Following the 1994 genocide which killed the majority of the male population, women took control of rebuilding the nation. Now, the country has been labelled a global model for gender equality. This serves as a powerful example that others too can fight for change in places where it may appear impossible. 

In Spain, nearly two-thirds of the government’s cabinet ministers are women and in the Nordic countries, nearly all governments are headed by a woman, except for Sweden. Women everywhere are rising as leaders and redefining the gendered roles that had restricted their ancestors. 

However, that being said political equality remains an area of slow progress. The majority of parliamentary seats are held by men meaning that women are underrepresented across all levels of power. This is particularly true for Middle Eastern countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, where many women are still denied even the right to vote by their husbands and communities. This shows the vastly different experiences of women in relation to politics across the globe, depending on where they are born. With no right to political representation, countless women's voices are silenced. 

We must speak on behalf of the women and girls who are unable to speak for themselves...

As we celebrate International Women’s Day and the 25^th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, we can ask ourselves- is the world a better place for women and girls than it was in 1995? In many ways, the answer is yes. Vital progress has been made. However, we still live in a world where billions of women and girls are denied basic human rights everyday, and many changes need to be made. Perhaps to us, the everyday individual, this may appear an impossible task. However, I've come to realise that change isn't just about the headline moments- it is the way we talk, think and act every day that can make a huge impact. After all, one of the largest women's movements of our time began with a simple hashtag on Twitter. 

Let us all make this special year for women the year that we all commit to gender equality.  

I end this blog post with this important quote from one of my favourite authors, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: 

"Culture does not make people. People make culture. If it is true that the full humanity of women is not our culture, then we can and must make it our culture."