Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Nadia Murad Says That The Pandemic Has Caused A Surge In Gender-Based Violence. We Have To Act Now

Time and time again, we’ve had the conversation about how this coronavirus-indued lockdown has left women vulnerable and unsafe. There has been a rapid surge in rape, domestic violence, murder and even sex-trafficking. Gender-based crimes have reached all-new levels because of the lockdown and it’s terrifying. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nadia Murad is talking about exactly this and it’s time we listen and take the correct actions. 

The 27-year-old activist, who was forced into sexual slavery by Islamic State fighters in Iraq, said that curfews, lockdowns and travel restrictions imposed by governments to slow the spread of the virus “have had unintended consequences on women worldwide.” 

Nadia Murad was speaking virtually at a U.N. meeting Monday titled “Locked Down and Locked-In: Standing Against Sexual Violence and Human Trafficking during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Talking about how the pandemic and the lockdown that was imposed all over the world have left women vulnerable. She said this rise in gender-based violence has left the health and safety of women “on the line”. 

Also Read: Malala Yousafzai Says That More Than 20 Million Girls Might Not Go Back To Schools After This Pandemic. This Is Worrying

Nadia Murad says the COVID-19 pandemic has increased trafficking of women and gender-based violence, leaving the health and safety of women "on the line"https://t.co/7hU3XJZO1h

— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) December 1, 2020

Nadia said, “Rather than reducing human trafficking and gender-based violence, the pandemic has increased the risk of exploitation and brutality against those most vulnerable,” Further adding, “Numerous countries have seen increases in reports of domestic violence since the pandemic began.” 

She moved on to talk about domestic abuse and how the growing tensions, restrictions and confined living spaces have severely impacted women. She said that the stay-at-home orders are in turn, “increasing human trafficking farther underground, out of sight of law enforcement. The few resources designated for prevention, rescue and rehabilitation are being stretched thin. As a result, women’s health and safety are on the line. It is now difficult for many women to access psychological support (and) health care.” 

Nadia Murad became an activist on behalf of women and girls after escaping and finding refuge in Germany and shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018. She is an inspirational woman, a true role model,  and we should carefully listen to every word she says and implement initiatives to curb this problem. This is a woman who not only saved herself from sex trafficking but has dedicated her life to helping other women. 

Gender-based violence is a rapidly growing issue all around the world. And the lockdown has made it much, much worse. The time to act is now.

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