International Women’s Day: The diverse meanings of “work from home” for women in Asia Increase in domestic violence, lay-offs, care responsibilities, restrictions on domestic and international movement, economic insecurities, psychological burdens - these are just a few of the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic in Asia in the last two years. The gendered nature of COVID-19 impacts is obvious and has sparked large feminist responses in the region. By Shalini Yog Shah
“No-one is safe until everyone is safe” is a valuable piece of wisdom that should be used to measure all our efforts towards global solidarity, says health rights activist Marlise Richter. Interview Thoko Madonko from our Cape Town office speaks to Marlise Richter about inequity in access to covid vaccine in global south and gendered aspects of vaccine equity. By Thokozile Madonko and Dr Marlise Richter
Health expert KM Gopakumar speaks about global vaccine monopoly and challenges facing equitable COVID-19 vaccination Interview K.M. Gopakumar speaks to Shalini Yog Shah about global vaccine monopoly, TRIPS Agreement and hurdles in vaccine production By Shalini Yog Shah and K.M. Gopakumar
South Korea’s Post-Pandemic Digital New Deal and Gender Inclusion Article Technology is gendered. It may be treated as neutral, but its application and support through government policy impact gendered identities, needs and priorities. South Korea’s pandemic response and post-pandemic strategy have inadvertently reversed the nation’s progress in promoting gender equality. This article reviews two gendered experiences of the digital transformation precipitated by Covid-19. It points out the absence of gender inclusion in the national policy advocating digital transformation, and the resulting marginalisation of women.
Editorial Article This pandemic has dragged the world into a puzzling time warp that resembles one of the popular “stop-and-go” childhood games such as the one known in Hong Kong as Red Light, Green Light. Depending on local transmission waves of the disease and health policies, in some months we have found ourselves socially isolated, with work nearly ground to a halt and life plans jeopardised. In other months the clock ticks again – people take a deep breath and walk in the open, hurriedly trot along old routines to make up for lost time, and some have dashed around the clock to set up massive quarantine, vaccination, or aid facilities within tight constraints.
The Question of Trust and Governance during the Pandemic Article In Asia and globally, the fight against the coronavirus has illustrated the importance of public trust in authorities, particularly when it comes to the effectiveness of various policy approaches. But what does public trust stem from? Why is it so easily lost, and what does it mean to citizens during a crisis? As the world slowly recovers and opens up, countries in Asia are continuing to grapple with new outbreaks, vaccine hesitancy and other challenges. Reflecting on the past year and a half, we take a closer look at how countries in the region have managed the relationship between the people and the state, as well as the successes – and failures – that are defining their pandemic stories.
The art of missing the bus Last year, even as the coronavirus ambushed India, disrupting the economy and wreaking untold suffering on millions of its citizens, many saw in it a godsend opportunity to hit the reset button and build back a green and just economy. More than a year later, as we crawl out of the horrifying abyss of the second wave, green fantasies have given way to the more urgent task of quickly vaccinating everyone and reviving a battered economy. By Rakesh Kalshian
COVID-19: Who cares about trans bodies? Interview Dr. Rima Ghosh speaks to Shalini Yog Shah about transgender people’s ordeals during the pandemic and what needs to be done. By Shalini Yog Shah and Dr. Rima Ghosh Patranabish
Setting agenda for G20 Presidency 2023 Article Hosting G20 Presidency in 2023 is a fitting aspiration and a welcome challenge for India. A major economy and a developing country with a mature democracy, heading into its 76th year of its independence, India has the unique opportunity to set ‘Agenda 2023’ with a focus on equitable green and resilient recovery. By Dr Ajita Tiwari Padhi