For many women and girls around the world, the pandemic presents additional challenges to their survival and quest for equality. According to a World Health Organization survey of 104 countries, women make up about 70 per cent of health and social workers worldwide, placing them at greater risk while caring for patients. Added to this, women workers face elevated levels of stress as they worry about endangering their own families when they return home at the end of their shifts. The report further reveals that one in three women worldwide experiences physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Kenya has already reported an increase of 36% of reported cases of sexual violence in the first two weeks of the pandemic breaking.

Source: The Star April 30, 2020 09:56 UTC