Women and Children as Victims of COVID- 19 Pandemic in Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract

The world has experienced Covid 19 Pandemic posing threat to global public health by hampering social economic and political development.  It implications has pushed Nigeria economy into regression due to reduction in the revenue derives at the international market. Efforts by the government to curb the crisis by providing financial and medical assistance for the citizen especially Women and Children that were affected by this pandemic were hampered by inadequate resources and it resulted to increase in domestic and sexual violence, rape cases, crime to mention a few. The paper investigates the implications of Covid 19 pandemic on Women and Children in Nigeria, by examining the direct and indirect consequences of the pandemic on Women and Children. The study adopts qualitative and quantitative approach, where primary and secondary sources were used. Primary source include in-depth interview and observation method while secondary source include  Published textbooks, Magazines, Newspapers, Journals, Internet and government periodic publications. The study observed that Covid 19 pandemic has leverage suffering to the poor citizens in Nigeria due to bad governance and weak institutions of government that were ineffective in responding to the pandemic and the lack of social welfare programs that would have catered for citizens and vulnerable Women and Children were adversely affected by the pandemic. They had severe consequences including in domestic and sexual violence, hawking, forced prostitution, exploitation, abortion, deliberate neglect of girls molestation, kidnapping, death and rape The paper concludes that a number of participants blamed the government, parents and community leaders for failing to take responsibility of controlling and guiding their children during the pandemic which resulted into increased in rape cases. However, Nigeria Police Force and parents also worried about lack of substantive law that paved ways for rapist to go free without sanctioned or severe punishment. The study advocates for aggressive preventive laws for the punishment of rape and domestic violence that will serve as deterrent to the culprits. Also, preventive measures must be strictly put in place by the government, parent and guidance through sensitizations on sex education for men and women.