Intersection of two pandemics: COVID-19 and  violence against women

Summary

In the present report, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, Dubravka Šimonović, analyses the intersection between the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the pandemic of gender-based violence against women, with a particular focus on domestic violence, while encouraging the “peace in the home” initiative of the Secretary-General.

Methodology

On 9 April 2020, the Special Rapporteur issued a call for submissions (English | Français | Pусский | Español) on COVID-19 and domestic violence against women, including a questionnaire to States, national human rights institutions, international organizations, civil society, academia and other stakeholders, seeking information on:

• the availability of hotlines, shelters or safe places;
• women’s access to justice and court, and access to protection orders;
• women’s access to health-care services, in particular for reproductive health;
• the available data on the increase in violence against women, particularly domestic violence; and
• examples of good practices in the response to the crisis.

The Special Rapporteur is sincerely grateful for the more than 274 submissions received, which have informed the report.

Related statements and materials on COVID-19 and women

Special Rapporteur on violence against women (SRVAW)

• Call for submission, 14 April 2020: "COVID-19 and the increase of domestic violence against women"
  Word: English | Français | Pусский | Español
• Press release, 27 March 2020: "States must combat domestic violence in the context of COVID-19 lockdowns "

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)

• Guidance Note on CEDAW and COVID-19, 22 April 2020
• CEDAW - Call for joint action in the times of the COVID-19 pandemic, 21 April 2020
• Press release - Raising women's voices and leadership in COVID-19 policies, 22 April 2020
• Joint statement with other treaty bodies, 24 March 2020: "UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies call for human rights approach in fighting COVID-19"

All documents can be found on the CEDAW Committee webpage

Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls (WGDAW)

• Statement, 20 April 2020: "COVID-19 measures must factor in specific needs of women, say UN experts"

UN System

• Inter-Agency Statement, 24 June 2020: “COVID-19: Inter-Agency Statement on Violence against Women and Girls”
• Statement, 20 April 2020: "COVID-19 measures must factor in specific needs of women, say UN experts"

UN Secretary-General

• Policy brief, 9 April 2020, "The impact of COVID-19 on women"
• Statement, 6 April 2020, "UN chief calls for domestic violence 'ceasefire' amid 'horrifying global surge'"
• Joint statement by 124 countries, April 2020, "Answering the UN Secretary-General's Call on Gender-Based Violence and COVID-19"

UN Women

• Open letter from the Regional Directors of UNDP, UN WOMEN, UNFPA and ESCWA In the Arab States region to governments in the region
• Policy brief, "COVID-19 and Ending Violence against Women and Girls"
• Policy brief, "Family Friendly Policies and Other Good Workplace Practices in the Context of COVID-19"
• Campaign, 15 April 2020, "HeForShe launches #HeForSheAtHome Campaign"
• Report, "The First 100 Days of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Asia & the Pacific: A Gender Lens"
• Prevention: Violence against women and girls and COVID-19 (2020)
• COVID-19 and ensuring safe cities and safe public spaces for women and girls (2020)
• Online and ICT-facilitated violence against women and girls during COVID-19 (2020)
• COVID-19 and essential services provision for survivors of violence against women and girls (2020)
• Violence against women and girls data collection during COVID-19 (2020)

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

• Guidance note, 15 April 2020, "COVID-19 and Women's Human Rights: Guidance"

Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict

• Policy Brief on the Implications of COVID-19 for the Prevention and Response to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence

Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Bi-monthly newsletter Good Idea seeks to create a space of discussion regarding UNHCR's engagement with the human rights mechanisms and it aims to provide a framework to connect and share good practices from UNHCR Operations, developments regarding human rights standards, and upcoming opportunities to engage. The April edition focuses on COVID-19 and its global impact on the human rights of refugees.

World Health Organisation (WHO)

• Guidance note, 7 April 2020, "COVID-19 and violence against women: what can the health sector / system do"

Platform of independent United Nations and regional expert mechanisms on violence against women and women’s rights (EDVAW Platform)

• Joint statement, 14 July 2020, "COVID-19 and increase in gender based violence and discrimination against women", Regional organizations and its independent expert mechanisms

Committee of Experts of the Follow-up Mechanism to the Belém do Pará Convention (MESECVI)

• Statement, 18 March 2020: "Committee of Experts urges the incorporation of the gender perspective in the measures taken to mitigate COVID-19 and the strengthening of actions for the prevention and care of gender-based violence"

Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence of the Council of Europe (GREVIO)

• Statement, 24 March 2020, "For many women and children, the home is not a safe place"

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and its Rapporteur on the Rights of Women

• Statement, 11 April 2020, "The IACHR calls on Member States to adopt a gender perspective in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to combat sexual and domestic violence in this context"
• Resolution on 10 April 2020, "Pandemic and Human Rights in the Americas"
• Statement, 20 March 2020, "IACHR and OSRESCER Urge States to Guarantee Comprehensive Protection for Human Rights and Public Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic"

African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) and its Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa

• Statement, 24 March 2020, "Press Statement on human rights based effective response to the novel COVID-19 virus in Africa"
• Press Release of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa on violation of women's rights during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Committee of the Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on Prevention and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention)

• Statement, 7 May 2020, COVID-19: Ensure women's access to sexual and reproductive health and rights
• Declaration on the implementation of the Convention during the COVID-19 pandemic, 19 April 2020

Organization for Security & Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE)

• Statement, 2 April 2020, "Protection from Domestic Violence Urgently Needed for Women and Children under Stay at Home Orders, Say OSCE Officials"

Women's Rights Committee of the European Parliament

• Statement, 7 April 2020, "COVID-19: Stopping the rise in domestic violence during lockdown"

European Women's Lobby

• Policy brief: Putting equality between men and women at the heart of the response to Covid-19 across Europe

Inter-Parliamentary Union

• Global campaign on Parliaments in times of pandemic
• Gender and COVID-19: A guidance note for parliaments

Non-Governmental Organisations

• Group of 101 NGOs, Statement, 8 April 2020: "Europe: European government must ensure safe and timely access to abortion care during COVID-19 pandemic"
• Women's Link Worldwide, Amnesty International and International Planned Parenthood Federation, 15 April 2020: "Guidelines for Protecting the Rights of Women and Girls during the COVID-19 Pandemic"
• Women's Link Worldwide, Amnesty International and International Planned Parenthood Federation, 4 May 2020: " Guidelines to African States for Protecting the Rights of Women and Girls during the COVID-19 Pandemic"
• Human Rights Watch, "Human Rights Dimensions of COVID-19 response"; section "Address disproportionate impact on women and girls"
• Center for Reproductive Rights, 14 April 2020, "Louisiana's COVID-19 Ban on Abortion Challenged in Court: Center for Reproductive Rights files lawsuit against Louisiana following State actions attempting to stop abortion care during the pandemic"
• International Partnership for Human Rights, 16 April 2020, "Kazakhstan: NGOs call for improved protection of women at risk of domestic violence during the COVID-19 crisis"

States

• Joint statement on Protecting Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Promoting Gender-responsiveness in the COVID-19 crisis.

The statement notes that efforts must be made by States to coordinate efforts in this global health crisis, and supports the UN General Assembly resolution entitled Global Solidarity to fight COVID-19. It also encourages all governments, the private sector, civil society, philanthropists and others to join in supporting the emergency response, particularly in the most vulnerable countries, and to give full effect to the global commitment to universal access to health care.