COVID-19: urgency for distancing from domestic violence

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Although COVID-19 is a major worldwide health threat, there is another global public health emergency that is becoming a growing challenge. Domestic violence is a public health and human rights issue that primarily affects women and children worldwide. Several countries have reported a significant increase in domestic violence cases since the COVID-19-induced lockdowns and physical distancing measures were implemented. The COVID-19 health crisis is exacerbating another pre-existing public health problem by increasing the severity and…

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Why the COVID-19 response needs International Relations

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The COVID-19 pandemic affects all countries, but how governments respond is dictated by politics. Amid this, the World Health Organization (WHO) has tried to coordinate advice to states and offer ongoing management of the outbreak. Given the political drivers of COVID-19, the authors of this article argue this is an important moment to advance International Relations knowledge as a necessary and distinctive method for inclusion in the WHO repertoire of knowledge inputs for epidemic control….

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Intimate Partner Violence during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Impending Public Health Crisis in Africa

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With COVID-19 officially declared a global pandemic and changing the social, economic, and political dynam-ics worldwide, countries are taking different measures to tackle its spread to save lives, which now comes as the number one priority. Different countries are in lockdown with travel restricted and quarantine, self-isolation, and social distancing measures in place. Other than key workers who are allowed to travel for work, people are stuck at home for extended periods of time with…

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Addressing Inequality: The First Step Beyond COVID-19 and Towards Sustainability

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The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted billions of lives across the world and has revealed and worsened the social and economic inequalities that have emerged over the past several decades. As governments consider public health and economic strategies to respond to the crisis, it is critical they also address the weaknesses of their economic and social systems that inhibited their ability to respond comprehensively to the pandemic. These same weaknesses have also undermined efforts to advance…

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Epidemics and Conflict: Evidence from the Ebola outbreak in Western Africa

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This paper investigates the impact of a rapidly spreading epidemic on civil violence in the context of the largest Ebola outbreak in history, in Western Africa. The identification strategy relies on the epidemiological features of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). The authors exploit the dynamics of the disease and weekly frequency data at the local level to analyze the effect of new infections on riots, protests and violence against institutional authorities. The impacts are large,…

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Ethnic Politics and Ebola Response in West Africa

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This paper examines the effects of power sharing on vulnerability to adverse shocks in a multiethnic setting. Combining a unique dataset on the allocation of ministerial posts across ethnicities with the spatial distribution of Ebola, the author provides evidence that ethnic representation mitigated the transmission of Ebola in Guinea and Sierra Leone. The findings suggest that one percentage point increase in proportional cabinet shares reduced Ebola transmission by 5%, as reflected in the total number…

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A gendered human rights analysis of Ebola and Zika: locating gender in global health emergencies

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Globally gender remains a key factor in differing health outcomes for men and women. This article analyses the particular relevance of gender for debates about global health and the role for international human rights law in supporting improved health outcomes during public health emergencies. Looking specifically at the recent Ebola and Zika outbreaks, what we find particularly troubling in both cases is the paucity of engagement with human rights language and the diverse backgrounds of…

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The impact of traditional and religious practices on the spread of Ebola in West Africa: time for a strategic shift

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This article in the Pan African Medical Journal shows that the Ebola outbreak in West Africa clearly demonstrated that scientifically proven methods of combating the transmission of infectious diseases, if not culturally and religiously acceptable to a community, are likely to be resisted and rendered less effective. There is, thus, a need to investigate and align preventative measures with cultural norms and values of affected communities. Where there are incompatibilities between religious and cultural practices…

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