A gender‐sensitive approach to U.S. crisis communication for COVID‐19 and beyond

Abstract

AbstractExamining the COVID‐19 pandemic communication from a gender perspective is ethically critical and socially timely. Combined with class, it helps us to identify how effective communication has been during this pandemic. This Forum contribution takes a gender‐sensitive approach with the premise that all public health crises are inherently gendered phenomena. Two global initiatives are crucial for our purposes: The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) and the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. Based on the four strategic pillars (prevention, participation, protection, and relief and recovery) we ask the following: “Who (a) is prevented from harm by the COVID‐19 recovery efforts, who (b) is participating in, who (c) receives protection from and who (d) will receive assistance through the COVID‐19 recovery efforts?". We conclude that the COVID‐19 crisis has had its worst effects on the poorest and most vulnerable. During the pandemic, there was a strong military‐style communication limited to government and health professionals that lacked empathy. The gender‐sensitive perspective reflected by UNSCR 1325 and the WPS requires us to give up military masculinity in communication, include more empathy and dialog (mutuality and cooperation), and extend women's participation to reduce the damaging effects of any given crisis on all people.