GEST Online Alumni Seminar - Gender Equality and COVID-19 in Context
Today, the GEST programme hosted its first GEST Alumni Online Seminar where six GEST alumni shared their research findings on the gendered impact of COVID-19 restrictions. The seminar was well attended by former fellows, representing 11 years of the GEST programme, as well as GEST lecturers, supervisors and staff.
The purpose of the online seminar was to record and document a historical snapshot of how the gendered impact related to the global pandemic of COVID-19 unfolds in different national contexts. The Director of GEST, Dr. Irma Erlingsdóttir, opened the seminar. In her address, she noted that globally, 'the COVID-19 pandemic has had an immense impact on everything from the global economy to local communities and has sparked serious questions about how we think of global safety and security in collective and individual terms'. She added: 'Having had such a widespread global impact, it is unthinkable that the COVID-19 pandemic should not also impact gender equality. Indeed, what we have witnessed and are still witnessing globally is that women tend to become the world’s safety net in times of crisis.'
To assess and further understand the gendered impact of the COVID-19 restrictions, the GEST team called for research proposals from its alumni in October 2020. Six proposals were selected, and those responsible were asked to present their findings at the seminar. It took place in two sessions, which were moderated by GEST alumni, Brenda Apeta and Gideon Adjei-Mawutor. The following research proposals were presented:
- Shamim Nampijja: Analysis on the Impact of COVID-19: A Study on Women and Girls with Disabilities in Uganda
- Kondwani MacDonald Mhone: Impact of COVID-19 on Girls’ Education in Malawi
- Nadhiya Najab: The Balancing Act: Gender Dynamics of Remote Working in Sri Lanka
- Sophia Nabukenya: Examining the Gendered Impact of COVID-19 on Access to Adolescent Friendly Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Information to Teenagers in Uganda. A Case of Kawempe Division- Kampala District
- Jessica Mandanda: Where is the Relief? Understanding the Urgency of Financial Relief and the Influence of Domestic Violence. A Study on Child Trafficking, Odd Jobs, and Domestic Violence during Covid-19 in Malawi
- Chinenye Anekwe: Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Rural Clean Energy Women Entrepreneurs in Nigeria: A Mixed Method Study
Each session was concluded with questions and answers from the seminar's participants. The presentations today were insightful, showing the quality research conducted by GEST alumni. The complete research reports are to be published on the GEST website in early 2021.