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As the world buckles beneath the weight of the COVID-19 pandemic, nationwide lockdowns are triggering an enormous psychological toll on women, whether at home, in the labor market, or as first responders. Some are calling the crisis the “great equalizer,” although many believe COVID-19 has actually worsened pre-existing inequalities.
In response to that challenge, and in order to ease the burdens of Morocco’s lockdown, the Women for Diversity and Peace Association (AFDP) is launching an initiative to celebrate health workers and nursing staff. AFDP’s move comes to support those on the front lines who are facing an unprecedented workload in saving thousands of lives every day.
The initiative, “HYA in the Hospital Facing Covid-19” (hya meaning “her” in Arabic), will work to promote health workers’ rights and to recognize the role, sacrifice, and achievement of women standing at the forefront of the fight against the pandemic.
To implement the initiative, the organizers plan to carry out several actions in order to promote women’s rights during and after the quarantine. These include:
1) Promoting scientific publications as well as accurate digital content (in Arabic, French, and English) to further raise awareness around the issues and challenges facing health workers;
2) Garnering the attention of national and international media coverage, publishing in specialized journals, and conducting outreach on social networking sites to further communicate the initiative; and
3) Conducting a local distribution of medical kits including items such as standard face masks, surgical masks, gloves, and hydroalcoholic sanitizing gels, among others.
The initiative will also work towards sharing the impactful stories told by medics and health workers who represent a special sort of daily heroism in the face of this unprecedented pandemic. Sharing such human stories is believed to connect us on a deep level during trying times.
Women for Diversity and Peace established itself in 2018. The “HYA” project is a visionary AFDP initiative funded by the Swiss embassy. Bringing together both a southern and northern approach to gender equality and justice, the association seeks, in this initiative and its other efforts, to promote women as ambassadors of peace in a diverse and plural Morocco.
