Our team continues to implement activities aimed at mitigating the impact of Covid-19 on Communities. The activities among others are 70 dialogue meetings with Women groups including Women Living with HIV and AGYW, Key Populations, Cultural leaders, religious leaders, policy makers and Security in GBV high prevalence districts.
The program target Kiryandongo, Lira, Gulu, Nebbi, Mubende, Wakiso, Namutumba, and Jinja districts.
“These dialogues are aimed at providing platforms for community members especially women and girls to share their experiences on the effects of COVID-19 in districts with high GBV cases. They also discuss possible actions to be undertaken to address negative effects of COVID-19 in these districts” said the project officer.
She added that communities have since experienced several COVID-19 challenges including lockdown with its consequences, loss of economic opportunities, limited access to social services, increased cases of human rights violations like GBV, food scarcity, education institution closure with a number of girls falling victims of teenage pregnancy, poor adherence for those living with HIV, loss of lives, increase in maternal mortality cases, reduced budget allocation for some activities, forced disclosure of HIV status, increased cost of living and loss of jobs.
She explained that since COVID-19 reached in Uganda in March, communities have experienced many challenges like; loss of businesses, school dropouts, teenage pregnancies among others.
Health access was affected and many PLHIV were unable to access health services and therefore non suppression was experienced, some had to disclose their statuses in order to reach the health facilities.
Participants commit to play different roles in communities in their capacities including ensuring that COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) are observed.
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ICWEA has conducted 36 dialogues so far reaching over 1700 people in the mentioned districts.
