Why African women and girls’ voices are not heard in the fight against COVID-19

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ABSTRACT

COVID-19 has gravely impacted people of all backgrounds, races, geographic areas, sexes, and socioeconomic classes. Yet, the pandemic disproportionately affects indigenous African women’s health and lives, threatening the strides made towards gender equality. Despite the enormous contributions of women during health crises, African women’s voices remain underrepresented in decision-making and leadership because of ascribed gender roles, the unrecognition of women’s community politics role, and the lack of access to political resources. A necessary shift to inclusive decision-making especially during health crises like COVID-19 requires a shift and prioritization of women’s overlooked and underrated roles as decision-makers, political, and senior leaders.

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© Gertrude Morgan Dadzie, Kutisha Ebron and Mable Kipenda 2021. Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• women’s voice
• women’s leadership
• gender equality
• policymaking
• healthy women

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gertrude Morgan Dadzie

Gertrude Morgan Dadzie brings over 5 years of policy and advocacy experience focused significantly on youth’s educational and civic empowerment. Her research interests have explored spiritual leadership of African women, and the impact of policy and governance on the health of refugee women and girls. Gertrude holds a Master of Public Administration from the Rockefeller College of Public Policy and Affairs and recently concluded a Women and Public Policy fellowship at the college’s Center for Women in Government and Civil Society.

Kutisha Ebron

Kutisha Ebron is a passionate social inclusion professional with over 15 years of career experience within the United Nations system. Ms. Ebron supported the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment as Programme Analyst from January 2017 through July 2018. The programs she has worked on span the world’s regions, covering social innovation areas that include ending violence against women, gender equality, women, peace & security, and social integration. Kutisha has a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Towson University and holds a master’s degree in Management from St. Thomas University. She is currently working on her Ph.D. in Ethical Leadership at St. Thomas University.

Mable Kipenda

Dr. Mable Kipenda has over 5 years of experience in the field of Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights and Women Empowerment in Zambia. Currently, she is a physician and a co-founding member of Copper Rose Zambia. She has professional experience in training and advocating for sexual and reproductive health rights among Women and young adolescents in her community. Dr Kipenda holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Biology and a bachelor’s degree in medicine and Surgery. She is also a 2019 Mandela Washington Fellow and Women’s Economic Imperative Health of Women co-lead for Sub Saharan Africa.