The pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns brought with it an unprecedented loss. It wreaked havoc among the marginalised and poorer sections of society causing financial distress. Amidst this global crisis, women and children were most affected. They had to care for their families, sustain their livelihoods, and lead efforts to fight the pandemic. 

This chaos led to a rapid rise in the inequality between women and men. According to reports, Telangana recorded a 27% rise in child marriages and trafficking. Several women were trapped at their homes with their abusers causing a spike in domestic violence rates. Since the start of the pandemic, India has reported a 2.5 times increase in abuse reports like child marriage, cyber violence, and trafficking of women. In the first phase of the lockdown, some women organisations received more reports of domestic violence than they did in the last 10 years. 

NGOs, government bodies, and private organisations are constantly putting efforts to empower women and provide them with equal opportunities. However, the situation on the ground remains grim and more changes need to be implemented. 

Build Back Better With Girls 

To mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 on girls, Plan India, a not-for-profit organization striving to advance children’s rights and equality for girls, conducted a two-day conference - Plan for Every Child. The event saw experts from various fields, child rights practitioners, jurists, government officials, and others discuss the issues on the ground to strategize a plan and build back better with girls. 

The conference hosted multiple sessions, presentations, and discussions on addressing the barriers for girls and young women. The discussions were focused on four thematic aspects -- Towards inclusive and quality education, food security and nutrition for all girls, ensuring mental health and well-being for girls, and towards ending gender-based violence in all its forms, the delegates discussed the various challenges faced by women today. 

The speaker who chaired the discussion took notes, raised questions, and finally drafted out recommendations to ease the challenges faced by women.

Through various recommendations, experts focussed on the solutions and safety nets for millions of girls, children, and women with a vision to enable them to learn, lead, decide and thrive. They highlighted methods to get women to access inclusive and quality education, health services, child development, and mental well-being, essential medicines and vaccines, maternal and reproductive health care, food security, and nutrition. 

Mr. Mohammed Asif, Executive Director, Plan India said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges and slowed down the pace of development and change that was being achieved through the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao initiative. Collaborative efforts for advancing education, nutrition, health, safety nets for all girls and women must be undertaken with renewed vigor by government, civil society, and corporates. At the Plan for Every Child Conference, more than 30 eminent Speakers and experts would deliberate and present the pathway to girl-centered community development in the post-COVID situation.”