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COVID-19 & Gender: Building Forward Better on Gender Equality & Women Empowerment in Eritrea

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COVID-19 & Gender: Building Forward Better on Gender Equality & Women Empowerment in Eritrea Policy Brief No. 1 March 2021 COVID-19 & Gender: Building Forward Better on Gender Equality & Women Empowerment in Eritrea Summary This brief explores the work of the UN in Eritrea to complement the government’s efforts to promote gen- der equality and women empowerment. It outlines the challenges and risks related to the global COVID-19 pan- demic to gender equality in Eritrea, which could inform the formulation and implementation of the UN Eritrea So- cio-Economic assessment Recovery Plan (SERP). The Brief aims to present ways in which the negative impacts of COVID-19 can be responded to in a gender-sensitive and women-empowering fashion, according to the SDGs, to ‘build back better.’ Lastly, it sets out recommendations on ensuring gender equality in the recovery process, focusing on women’s empowerment in the decision-making processes related to COVID-19 response and eco- nomic development. It guides the planning and preparation of a forward-looking response to COVID-19 in Eritrea. ‘Building back better’, especially for Eritrea, means ensuring no one is left behind, and that gender equality and women’s participation are integrated into crisis prevention, preparedness, and recovery from the earliest stages Introduction he work of the UN in Eritrea complements the efforts ing the awareness of the role of women in the Tof the Government of the State of Eritrea (GoSE) to socio-economic, political, and cultural transforma- promote gender equality and women empowerment to tion of the country, by upholding and effectively ensure sustainable development initiatives. Eritrea is a implementing the equal rights of women and by state party to several Conventions, including the UN Con- engaging in meaningful and active participation vention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination of women across all sectors of the economy. against Women (CEDAW of 1979), since 1995. The latter is a stark demonstration of its commitment and selfless This is in line with UNDP and UNFPA’s commit- action to prohibit and eliminate all forms of discrimination ment to make Gender Equality and women’s em- against women and to promote women’s empowerment. powerment the center of all theirinterventions as well as essential aspects of “leaving no one be- Efforts continue to be made to improve women’s place hind,” which is one of the guiding principles of in the country’s socio-economic and political life to make the UN 2030 Agenda.Nevertheless, the global women active agents of change and promote sustain- COVID-19 pandemic places new risks and chal- able development1. To complement this effort, UNDP lenges towards achieving gender equality and and UNFPA, in partnership with sister Agencies in Er- women empowerment. It could reverse the gains itrea, are committed to supporting the GoSE by enhanc- made towards meeting SDG 5 to Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.It is 1. NUEW Strategic Action Plan 2016-2020 01 COVID-19 & Gender in Eritrea worth noting that despite prior challenges posed during all of which interact elaborately. In Eritrea, as is the case the two decades of isolation, “Eritrea achieved the MDGs in other African states, most girls and women carry the on women’s dignified life including health and education burden of care, including family responsibilities. Before and is mobilizing and organizing capacity for the effec- the containment and lockdown measures were insti- tive implementation of the Sustainable Development tuted, most women were active in the informal sector, Goals.2” As seen in most countries, including Eritrea, the especially in the food sector. However, the lockdown pandemic has exposed the vulnerability and even sys- has forced them to temporarily close their business- temic weaknesses in socio-economic and political insti- es and survive on their bare minimum wage. While the tutions that should safeguard women and girls’ rights. lockdown measures are crucial in limiting the spread The impact of COVID-19 has not only accentuated the of COVID-19, they will likely have a devastating impact existing gender gaps, it has also introduced new risks on women and girls, with those from vulnerable and regarding gender equality, all of which continue to hard to reach communities being the most affected. impact on LDCs, including Eritrea singularly. There- fore, the pandemic’s medium and long-term effects Such risks include domestic violence and exploitation, and its containment measures should be foreseen especially for girls, teenage and underage pregnancies, and responded to. Women and girls are likely to be limited access to reproductive health services, maternal, the hardest hit by this pandemic as they remain the newborn and child services, and poor economic well-be- backbone of economic recovery in all communities. ing. Therefore, all stakeholders must place women and girls – their inclusion, representation, rights, equality, Across the world, the containment and lockdown mea- and protection – at the center of their response plan- sures resulted in significant impacts on people’s lives ning to reach the necessary and effective outcomes. and livelihoods. As a result, countries are now faced with significant health, financial and economic crises, 2 CEDAW report CEDAW/C/ERI/6. The status of women in Eritrea As noted earlier, women in Eritrea have played an Ministry of Health. The 1994 Eritrean National Charter ex- essential role in their country’s history and are con- plicitly states that, ‘In Eritrea, there shall not be any posi- sidered the pillars of the struggle for independence. tion exclusively reserved for men that cannot be attained The Eritrean National Legal Framework promotes by women’. Hence, at policy level there is no segrega- gender equality and provides exceptional protec- tion at the outset. Women’s right to vote, to elect and be tion and rights for women through various procla- elected democratically is guaranteed and practiced. The mations3. In general, gender equality is granted by representation of women in other areas of public life is a strong legal and institutional basis. Despite these promising. In the National Assembly, for example, wom- legal frameworks, the implementation mechanisms en held 22 % of the seats of 150 representatives ac- by which policies can be translated into proactive cording to latest CEDAW state Party report of 2020. and sustained practice are not entirely in place. The responsibility to uphold the principle of equality is Special institutional measures have been implemented limited to the State or political authorities, although by Eritrean ministries to include women in decision-mak- the public policy-makers, the private sector, the tra- ing as per the government policies, including e.g. re- ditional leaders (elders in communities), including the quirement of 30 % participation of women in national, civil society, also have to ensure its implementation4. regional and local assemblies and at least in community courts, sport federations and land committees. How- a. Leadership and decision making ever, despite this progress there is still relatively lim- ited women participation in decision making in the In Eritrea, the participation of women, in general, has public and private sphere, and the unemployment and il- been notable and promising in political and public literacy rates among women are significant in the country. decision-making, as evidenced by the successful outcome of the containment measures taken by the The number of parliamentary seats held 3 ibid 1; See. e.g. Land proclamation No. 58/1994; Labor proclamation No. 118/2001; Proclama- tion No. 158/2007 on the Abolition of Female Circumcision by women, according to the 2020 CEDAW 4 National Policy on Gender – State of Eritrea – January 2004 Report 02 b. Access to justice In Eritrea, effort has been made to implement the legal and institutional provisions on women equality and em- powerment. De jure rights of women are augmented by awareness raising campaigns in order to allow women to know about, claim and exercise their rights. To enhance the de facto rights of women and duties in the community, the Ministry of Justice has been conducting awareness programmes via the media outlets and other platforms. However, the existence of traditional prejudice, lack of knowledge and insufficient legal services and attitudes remains a challenge for the realization of de facto rights. In addition to the challenges relating to implementation and knowledge, the existing legal framework is also un- dermined by harmful cultural beliefs and practices that do not recognize women equally as men. Due to customary and religious laws, cultural attitudes, and social pressure, some are reluctant to pursue their court cases even after Figure 2: Eritrean population under the working age women are aware of their fundamental legal rights. Tak- ing a chance forward can be a stigmatization source and Female Male can threaten family stability, cohesion,respect and unity. c. Economic empowerment Livelihood and informality or heavy presence in the infor- mal economy is the biggest challenge women in Eritrea face. Inadequate and few frameworks, capacities, and skills hinder their efforts to break from informality chains. However, various programs are put in place to support d. Education female entrepreneurs: Women have equal opportunities to acquire license in all sectors of the economy without GoSE realizes that the extensive use of its human cap- any restriction and discrimination. During the CEDAW re- ital is a pre-requisite and an essential condition for porting period, it was highlighted that of the total licens- sustainable development. Education is a fundamen- es issued, 58.8 % were acquired by female applicants. tal human right for all Eritrean citizens, and every child is entitled to get equal access and opportunity. In this In addition, the adoption of the Civil Code of 2015 rec- vein, equity considerations are promoted to avoid any ognizes equal power and status of the spouses. These discrimination in education provision.
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