OBR-Africa is responding to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on women and children’s safety and their rights in their different communities. In the face of COVID-19 and the various mitigation strategies aimed at combating the virus, we are already seeing an increase in violence against women and children globally including in Africa. Africa OBR Coordinators including South Africa, Swaziland, Cameroon, Zambia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Mali, Uganda and Togo are in the forefront in their communities despite the COVID-19 pandemic, raising awareness on GBV and women’s rights, providing food parcels in their communities, cooking hot meals daily, supporting with basic dignity kits for menstrual hygiene, Providing personal protective equipment (like masks) at community level. Other initiatives include advocating for women’s voice inclusion in the different strategies in combating the spread of the virus in their countries. Innovative strategies have been also adopted by having online discussion, awareness raising through media platforms, awareness raising using sketch art and cartoons.

– Colani Hlatjwako, OBR Africa Coordinator