This year, the global crisis has made a bad situation worse when it comes to gender inequality, exposing a hidden pandemic of violence and poverty. But in communities large and small, women and girls are leading the change. With the support of ActionAid and partners, they are building a new world, free from violence; one that’s safe and equal. A world in which no woman lives in fear of violence. A world in which everyone has access to healthcare. A world of greater economic opportunity for all.
Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh is home to the world’s largest refugee camp. Close to a million Rohingya refugees who fled violence in Myanmar are currently living there. In one of ActionAid’s women-friendly spaces, Jannatul Ferdous is helping protect and support women and girls with her work as an embroidery trainer. Usually, her job involves teaching embroidery, but since the pandemic it has shifted to include mask making and raising awareness about the need to wear masks and wash hands regularly, especially as social distancing is difficult there.
‘At our centres, we have stations available for hand washing. And on top of that we’ve taught refugee women how to make and produce masks, which they now make and wear at home. As they can make masks, a lot of them can use this skill as a source of income and they can put it to work,’ she says.
The pressures of lockdown have led to a rise in domestic violence in the camp. Jannatul also works with ActionAid to provide counselling and support for survivors of gender-based violence.
‘At ActionAid, we are helping mainly women and girls. We have various things to provide them with, like healthcare and counselling. Mask production is still ongoing.
Alongside [this] we have awareness sessions, and this is how we are supporting the Rohingya community,’ she says.
‘Through being involved in this [the women] do get a little protection,’ she adds. ‘They are overall more able [to take precautions] due to this, and they have to maintain hygiene and distance at the production centre and wear masks.’
Fatema regularly attends ActionAid’s sewing sessions. She says, ‘I miss normal times but feel good when I work with everyone here. I like to sew flowers and patterns, and feel free when I am attending sessions in ActionAid's women-friendly space.’
Women’s rights are still in lockdown, but in the communities where ActionAid works, women and girls are showing courage, wisdom and leadership. We support the charity as it provides women’s safe spaces within the camps, where women and girls can learn new skills, make a living and live in safety. Jannatul is one of many women honing her skills to empower others. ActionAid stands with women, and we stand with them.
To learn more and donate, visit www.actionaid.org.uk/grazia
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Image courtesy of Fabeha Monir/ActionAid