Webinar: National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
Webinar: National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
Webinar: National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
Report
5. Background
Women and children are hardest hit by the current COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts.
Beyond the direct effect of the infection by the coronavirus, women’s health and safety are
at greater risk as increased prevalence of domestic violence, abuse. Sexual and reproductive
health services reduced. There are about 189.2 million undernourished people in India; a
majority of whom are women and children. Further, according to the State of Food Security
and Nutrition in the World 2020 report, in 2016, nearly 51.4 per cent of women of
reproductive age in India were suffering from anemia. Domestic workers, sex workers, and
other informal sector workers have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic. The lockdown
has led to an increase in the number of domestic violence, child marriages an d unwanted
pregnancies among women and girls. The National Commission for Women received 2043
complaints of crimes against women in June 2020, the highest in the past eight months.
COVID-19 brought the industry to a halt and schools were shut, it has been observed that
child marriages were on the rise (Thomson Reuters Foundation).
Women’s reproductive rights have taken a particular hit. Travel restrictions, the diversion
of public healthcare towards Covid-19, the closure of private clinics, and disruptions in
medical supply chains have meant that women have been unable to receive timely care.
Foundation for Reproductive Health Services, India (FRHS) worst scenario case The worst
case scenario estimates are: 27.18 million couples unable to access contraceptives, method
wise loss of 890,281 sterilizations, 1.28 million IUCDs, 591,182 doses of IC, 27.69 million
cycles of OCPs, 1.08 million ECPs and 500.56 million condoms. This is likely to result in
an additional 2.95 million unintended pregnancies, 844,483 live births, 1.80 million
abortions (including 1.04 million unsafe abortions) and 2,165 maternal deaths. The webinar
was focused to highlight the health care issues of women & children for better understanding
and management
6. Objective
• To Identify healthcare related factors for women and children’s during a pandemic
• To access to reproductive and maternal health care of Women & children for
management
7. Speakers/Experts
• Dr. Vartika, Independent Researcher, Gender & Child Issues
8. Key Takeaways:
• Experts stressed urgent and coordinated effort for ensuring continued and
efficient functioning of government’s food aid programmes such as
Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), Integrated Child
Development Service (ICDS) and Mid-Day Meal Program (MDM) and
anganwadi.
• Experts also highlighted the government initiatives for women and
children health care such as Anaemia Mukt Bharat, Eat Right India
campaign, Fit India movement, Nutrition in Aspirational District program
etc.
• Experts explained that lock down, social distancing, and isolation has
seriously affected mental health of the children and the women. Experts
also stressed to need of relieving and retrieving, psycho-social counselling
and addressing inter-intra household violence and mental health issues of
pregnant mothers
• Experts also expressed that government partners, civil society,
professionals, and the public should provide vulnerable children with a
platform to express their perspectives and become active partners.
• Experts advised to find technological solutions such as telemedicine
services for consultations on family planning and abortion services can be
a critical step towards reaching the last mile as particularly those in the
rural areas where infrastructural inadequacies has been rampant.
• Experts also suggested that there is need to give special attention women
and children coming from socially and economically backward castes and
regions such as SCs, STs and migrant workers.
9. Webinar Schedule
GUIDANCE:
Prof. Santosh Kumar
National Institute of
Professor & HoD, Disaster Management
-5- Governance Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs)
E-mail: [email protected] www.nidm.gov.in
Phone 011-23438294, Fax 23438287/ 88
WEBINAR COORDINATOR:
Dr Kumar Raka
Child Centric Disaster Risk Reduction Centre
[email protected]
-1-
500.56 million condoms. This is likely to result 3:00-3:10 Welcoming Dr. Kumar Raka
BACKGROUND in an additional 2.95 million unintended PM participants &
pregnancies, 844,483 live births, 1.80 million experts; sharing
Women and children are hardest hit by the abortions (including 1.04 million unsafe objectives of the
current COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts. abortions) and 2,165 maternal deaths. The programme and
Beyond the direct effect of the infection by the setting up agenda
webinar was focused to highlight the health
coronavirus, women’s health and safety are at care issues of women & children for better 3.10-3.45 Speaker 1: Dr. Vartika Singh
greater risk as increased prevalence of understanding and management PM Understanding and
domestic violence, abuse. Sexual and Managing Health
reproductive health services reduced. There are AIM OF WEBINAR problem of Women
about 189.2 million undernourished people in & Children
India; a majority of whom are women and This Webinar is intended for officials of State level 3:45-4.00 Question, answer & discussions
children. Further, according to the State of Food sectoral departments, Administrative Training PM
Security and Nutrition in the World 2020 Institutions and civil society practitioners, and
report, in 2016, nearly 51.4 per cent of women 4.00-5:00 Speaker2 Dr. Khaza
students to understand the impact of Covid-19 on PM Understanding and Shafiiuddin
of reproductive age in India were suffering
from anemia. Domestic workers, sex workers, women and children Managing Health
problem of Women
and other informal sector workers have lost & Children
their jobs as a result of the pandemic. The OBJECTIVES
5:00-5:10 Question, answer & discussions
lockdown has led to an increase in the number • To Identify healthcare related factors PM
of domestic violence, child marriages and
for women and children’s during a
unwanted pregnancies among women and girls.
The National Commission for Women received pandemic
2043 complaints of crimes against women in • To access to reproductive and
June 2020, the highest in the past eight months. maternal health care of Women &
COVID-19 brought the industry to a halt and children for management
schools were shut, it has been observed that
child marriages were on the rise (Thomson
Reuters Foundation).
Women’s reproductive rights have taken a
particular hit. Travel restrictions, the diversion
of public healthcare towards Covid-19, the
closure of private clinics, and disruptions in
medical supply chains have meant that women
have been unable to receive timely care.
Foundation for Reproductive Health Services,
India (FRHS) worst scenario case The worst
case scenario estimates are: 27.18 million PROGRAMME SCHEDULE
couples unable to access contraceptives,
Time Session Speaker/Experts
method wise loss of 890,281 sterilizations, 1.28
million IUCDs, 591,182 doses of IC, 27.69
million cycles of OCPs, 1.08 million ECPs and