Lives and livelihoods of 95 per cent of young women have been impacted negatively by COVID-19 pandemic in different districts across the country, said an ActionAid survey.
Data showed that the average monthly income before the pandemic was Tk 6,273 in February which reduced to Tk 4,745 in April and to Tk 4,408 in September.
It also revealed that more than 76 per cent of the girls are unable to continue their studies remotely since April 2020 living in districts due to their marginal living and distance.
The statistics were disclosed Tuesday at a virtual view-exchange meeting titled ‘Impact of Covid-19 in the life of young women for advocacy and policy intervention in a post COVID world’, organised by ActionAid Bangladesh.
It was conducted with 550 young women aged between 18-35 years in 10 districts including Dhaka, Chattogram, Kushtia, Nilphamari, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Jamalpur, Dinajpur, Naogaon and Kurigram.
The results of the survey further said growing inflation shot up private loan intaking 64.91 per cent had to borrow money to manage their finances. About 37 per cent of respondents said that expense of health expenditure has increased due to the pandemic.
Pandemic has impacted care-giving work. Nearly 79 per cent of the respondents shared increased household workload during COVID-19 pandemic.
When asked if there was a police and local support system to assist women victims of violence during the epidemic, 35.27 per cent said ‘No’.
Gender-based violence (sexual, physical and emotional) has increased at a significant rate during the pandemic period.
Moreover, a staggering 67.27 per cent of the respondents said that their access to public services has been affected by the pandemic. Respondents also said that hospitals, especially local ones, do not have the necessary equipment.
Among respondents, 74 per cent said they needed immediate food, 61 per cent said they needed health care, and 48 per cent said they needed a source of livelihood and income.
Akhtaruz Zaman Khan Kabir, director general at Department of Youth Development, who was present as the chief guest on the occasion, said they have been working with young men and women aged 18-35.
“We have been stumbling since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country since last March. Later, in compliance with the health regulations, we resumed offline and online training activities on a limited scale after about a month and a half,” he said.
He called upon non-governmental organisations, media and civil society to cooperate with the government by conducting such surveys and research activities in achieving the SDGs.
Nazmul Ahsan, Manager-Young People, ActionAid Bangladesh, said COVID-19 has brought a crisis for all, especially the youth and women.
“We fear that many women may not be able to return to work easily. Measures need to be taken to reintegrate women into the social, cultural and economic spheres,” he observed.
