The Quiet Survivors of a Global Pandemic

DHAKA, Bangladesh, Jul 8 2020 (IPS) – The issue of women’s rights, feminism and gender is complex and ongoing in most countries including Bangladesh. When I was asked to write about impact of COVID-19 on women and girls, I found myself drawn towards writing about women’s situation in general as that automatically impacts COVID-19 response as well. Since I am a woman who has been a part of many different cultures, yet a Bangali at heart, I am not only a survivor within its ranks but also responsible for being a part of the solution to the problems we face.

Saima W. Hossain

At the heart of it is the question: Are women in Bangladesh truly equal in all social, economi…

Coronavirus – Urban Areas Face the Brunt of the Pandemic

During the first month of the virus spreading across the globe, one of the regions that governments and health experts were concerned about was South Asia. The region is home to large slums in places such as India and refugee camps in Bangladesh. Over a million Rohingya refugees are now cramped in hilly terrains of Ukhiya in southeastern regions of Cox’s Bazar along Bangladesh’s border with Myanmar. Credit: ASM Suza Uddin/IPS

During the first month of the virus spreading across the globe, one of the regions that governments and health experts were concerned about was South Asia. The region is home to large slums in places such as India and refugee camps in Banglad…