Addressing the Africa Regional ICA Webinar in Nairobi India’s high-profile woman co-operator Nandini Azad advocated multi-faced strategies for ensuring healthcare for women during the corona pandemic.
Nandini Azad said Indian and WWF/ ICNW’s experiences show that cooperative bodies could engage with the people at the grass roots level and help women cope with the challenge of the coronavirus in a big way.
Cooperative bodies could raise awareness among the women by launching an information campaign on health issues, Mrs. Azad noted. Worried she said fewer women than men have health care insurance. Ensuring their rights to testing and health care is essential, she remarked.
The Africa Webinar had several speakers including from ILO HQ (Cooperative Department) and articulate women leaders from all over Africa. Co-operators, government officials, academicians, media from several countries in Africa participated. Dr Azad was privileged to be the first speaker.
After setting the context by ICA Africa Regional Director, Madam Chiyoge Sifa and WeEffect Director, Prof. Esther Gicheru, Chairperson, Women’s Committee, ICA Africa moderated the webinar.
For alleviating COVID-19 on women Nandini Azad quoted Indian experiences gained through WWF/ICNW and suggested measures like Nutrition and immunity building, Livelihood – Credit loans/ savings to reach target women, Reproductive & Health issues (including medicine, Vitamin C, targeting pregnant women, children), Sanitation & Hygiene (frequently) through coops and an effective use of mass media in local languages.
She placed emphasis on data and said “Data required wherein to overcome disruptions in supply chains, manufacturers, companies due to which informal sector women workers are facing difficulties in terms of income, employment, credit leading to losses, destitution could be helped (both urban and rural areas).”
“Designing fiscal and monetary responses should ensure burden does not fall on those who can least afford it i.e., women nor Recovery must not come on the backs of the poorest women” she asserted.
Nandini Azad has the honour to be associated with scores of well-known international cooperative bodies.