Safeguarding gains in the Sexual and Reproductive Health and AIDS Response amidst COVID-19: The Role of African Civil Society

Rouzeh  Eghtessadi; Zindoga Mukandavire; Farirai Mutenherwa; Diego F.  Cuadros; Godfrey Musuka

doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2020.08.086

Safeguarding gains in the Sexual and Reproductive Health and AIDS Response amidst COVID-19: The Role of African Civil Society

Rouzeh Eghtessadi, Zindoga Mukandavire, Farirai Mutenherwa, Diego F. Cuadros, Godfrey Musuka

Research output: Contribution to journal › Short survey › peer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

This article outlines the role of African civil society in safeguarding gains registered to date in sexual and reproductive health and the response to HIV. The case is made for why civil society organizations (CSOs) must be engaged vigilantly in the COVID-19 response in Africa. Lockdown disruptions and the rerouting of health funds to the pandemic have impeded access to essential sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and social protection services. Compounded by pre-existing inequalities faced by vulnerable populations, the poor SRH outcomes amid COVID-19 call for CSOs to intensify demand for the accountability of governments. CSOs should also continue to persevere in their aim to rapidly close community-health facility gaps and provide safety nets to mitigate the gendered impact of COVID-19.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	286-291
Number of pages	6
Journal	International Journal of Infectious Diseases
Volume	100
Early online date	10 Sept 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2020.08.086
Publication status	Published - 1 Nov 2020

Keywords

Africa
COVID-19
CSOs
Civil society
Gender
Sexual and reproductive health

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Microbiology (medical)
Infectious Diseases

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.ijid.2020.08.086Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Eghtessadi_et_alAccepted author manuscript, 471 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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title = "Safeguarding gains in the Sexual and Reproductive Health and AIDS Response amidst COVID-19: The Role of African Civil Society",

abstract = "This article outlines the role of African civil society in safeguarding gains registered to date in sexual and reproductive health and the response to HIV. The case is made for why civil society organizations (CSOs) must be engaged vigilantly in the COVID-19 response in Africa. Lockdown disruptions and the rerouting of health funds to the pandemic have impeded access to essential sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and social protection services. Compounded by pre-existing inequalities faced by vulnerable populations, the poor SRH outcomes amid COVID-19 call for CSOs to intensify demand for the accountability of governments. CSOs should also continue to persevere in their aim to rapidly close community-health facility gaps and provide safety nets to mitigate the gendered impact of COVID-19.",

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AU - Eghtessadi, Rouzeh

AU - Mukandavire, Zindoga

AU - Mutenherwa, Farirai

AU - Cuadros, Diego F.

AU - Musuka, Godfrey

PY - 2020/11/1

Y1 - 2020/11/1

N2 - This article outlines the role of African civil society in safeguarding gains registered to date in sexual and reproductive health and the response to HIV. The case is made for why civil society organizations (CSOs) must be engaged vigilantly in the COVID-19 response in Africa. Lockdown disruptions and the rerouting of health funds to the pandemic have impeded access to essential sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and social protection services. Compounded by pre-existing inequalities faced by vulnerable populations, the poor SRH outcomes amid COVID-19 call for CSOs to intensify demand for the accountability of governments. CSOs should also continue to persevere in their aim to rapidly close community-health facility gaps and provide safety nets to mitigate the gendered impact of COVID-19.

AB - This article outlines the role of African civil society in safeguarding gains registered to date in sexual and reproductive health and the response to HIV. The case is made for why civil society organizations (CSOs) must be engaged vigilantly in the COVID-19 response in Africa. Lockdown disruptions and the rerouting of health funds to the pandemic have impeded access to essential sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and social protection services. Compounded by pre-existing inequalities faced by vulnerable populations, the poor SRH outcomes amid COVID-19 call for CSOs to intensify demand for the accountability of governments. CSOs should also continue to persevere in their aim to rapidly close community-health facility gaps and provide safety nets to mitigate the gendered impact of COVID-19.

KW - Africa

KW - COVID-19

KW - CSOs

KW - Civil society

KW - Gender

KW - Sexual and reproductive health

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U2 - 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.08.086

DO - 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.08.086

M3 - Short survey

SN - 1201-9712

VL - 100

SP - 286

EP - 291

JO - International Journal of Infectious Diseases

JF - International Journal of Infectious Diseases

ER -

Safeguarding gains in the Sexual and Reproductive Health and AIDS Response amidst COVID-19: The Role of African Civil Society

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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