The COVID-19 outbreaks significantly impacted all contexts. conversely, the dangers were amplified in countries affected by conflict, where governance and social systems, including health care systems, have witnessed extensive damage to their infrastructure and services. These conflict-affected countries have the weakest health infrastructure and displaced populations. At particular risk in these countries are women – who have been forced to flee their homes due to persecution, conflict, violence and human rights violations. They are more likely to have poor health outcomes, including in sexual and reproductive health, due to disrupted services, lack of health supplies, scarcity of trained health workers, and increased risk of sexual violence.
In order to reduce the additional risk posed by Covid-19 in humanitarian settings to the already limited access of many girls and women to sexual and reproductive health services, as well as maternal, newborn and child health services, the Balanced Stewardship Development Association (BALSDA) in Nigeria, with support from Share-Net International, has developed an information toolkit with a call to action to improve SRHR in fragile and humanitarian settings during Covid-19 and future epidemics.
The toolkit uses information synthesised from research to provide programmatic guidance to help maintain and improve on access to essential SRHR information and services in fragile/humanitarian setting during and beyond the Covid-19 pandemic. The toolkit helps in identifying vulnerabilities specific to the target population, identify programme gaps and showcase research evidence for best practice, along with general guidance on infection prevention and control. It covers both Nigeria and Cameroon.
FULL REPORT, by Balanced Stewardship Development Association (BALSDA), Nigeria