Abstract
The COVID-19 infection control and prevention measures have contributed to the increase in incidence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and negatively impacted access to health and legal systems. The purpose of this commentary is to highlight the legal context in relation to IPV, and impact of COVID-19 on IPV survivors and IPV prevention and response services in Kenya, Malawi, and Sudan. Whereas Kenya and Malawi have ratified the Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and have laws against IPV, Sudan has yet to ratify the convention and lacks laws against IPV. Survivors of IPV in Kenya, Malawi and Sudan have limited access to quality health care, legal and psychosocial support services due to COVID-19 infection control and prevention measures. The existence of laws in Kenya and Malawi, which have culminated into establishment of IPV services, allows a sizable portion of the population to access IPV services in the pandemic period albeit sub-optimal. The lack of laws in Sudan means that IPV services are hardly available and as such, a minimal proportion of the population can access services. Civil society’s push in Kenya has led to prioritisation of IPV services. Thus, a vibrant civil society, committed governments and favourable IPV laws, can lead to better IPV services during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
Highlights
Health experts advise populations to stay at home as a COVID-19 prevention measure
Legal and psychosocial services offered to intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors Comprehensive gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response services are existent in Kenya but they are limited and mostly found in urban and peri-urban areas; response services are almost non-existent in rural areas [22]
Kenya and Malawi have systems in place to address IPV; services are sub-optimal, they are accessed by a sizeable proportion of the population
Summary
Health experts advise populations to stay at home as a COVID-19 prevention measure. home may not be the safest place for intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors as they are confined in the same spaces with their abusers. The purpose of this commentary is to highlight the health and the legal contexts in relation to IPV, and the impact of COVID-19 on IPV survivors and IPV prevention and response services in Kenya, Malawi, and Sudan. These gender inequalities are responsible for weak enforcement of gender-based violence (GBV) laws in Kenya and Malawi, along with the lack of GBV laws in Sudan, and the lack of a well-resourced functional system to address needs and concerns of IPV survivors as well as prevent IPV in all the three countries as violence against women and girls has been normalised.
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