By Shivani Sharma Singh
As a result of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the world is facing one of the greatest challenges we have experienced in over a century. Covid-19 has clearly shown that our Public Health infrastructure must be fortified, and this time, women’s mental health urgently needs to be a priority.
So, why must we especially focus on women’s mental health during this global pandemic? Due to various social, cultural and economic factors, women are facing a sharp increase in caregiving responsibilities, with even less freedom, space, or economic security.
We also need to understand the unintended consequences of the global lockdown on women’s health in general. For example, have rates of domestic violence risen; to what extent has women’s mental health been affected and have women successfully adapted or devised new coping mechanisms; have women been denied access to gynaecological treatments during the lockdown, including safe abortion and, if so, with what impact on their health and wellbeing; has the female work-force suffered disproportionately in economic terms; have national and international recommendations and policies been sufficiently gender neutral; have breastfeeding rates been adversely affected; will COVID-19 make attainment of the UN SDGs more difficult, etc.?
Today the status and wellbeing of countless millions of women worldwide remains tragically low”. The writing on the wall is clear- we have deprioritised women’s mental health for far too long. The pervasive issue of women’s mental health is not invisible but culturally invisibilized. The cost of blindsiding this reality is too high. Acknowledgement is the first step which will then lead to changes in policy.
*The Author isMrs Asia Pacific Exquisite International USA, India Exquisite Goodwill Ambassador, Brand Ambassador Aptech Ltd l Community Service Award Winner
