Research consultancy on access to SRHR by women with disabilities in Mutare district during Covid 19

Deadline: 15 January 2021

Introduction and Background

The COVID-19 pandemic which saw the first case in Zimbabwe been recorded in March 2020 has had significant impacts on the livelihood of the general population in the country especially those from poor and marginalised communities. Lokot and Avakyan (2020) in their article analysing the intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic and SRH argue that due to the pandemic, resources have been diverted to COVID-19 responses hence impacting the availability and accessibility of other vital health services such as SRH services. According to the Adult Rape Clinic (2020), measures taken by the government to flatten the curve of the novel coronavirus including social distancing, lockdowns, curfews, and travel restrictions have confined women with their abusers whilst providing limited support to them.

Women and girls with disabilities have been noted to face multiple barriers in accessing SRH services due to the intersectionality of gender, disability, and other social categories. According to Rugoho (2017), these barriers include physical barriers in accessing services, attitudinal barriers that view women and girls with disabilities as asexual, inaccessible information as well as lack of reasonable accommodations. The International Disability Alliance further adds that the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected persons with disabilities globally with women and girls with disabilities facing additional barriers in accessing sexual and reproductive health services.

Given the above background, this study grounded on the intersectionality theory unravels the challenges and experiences of women with disabilities in Mutare district in accessing SRH services. The research questions follow the elements underpinning the right to health as explained in General Comment No. 14 on Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. These elements are Availability, Accessibility (including economic, physical, and information accessibility without discrimination), Acceptability, and Quality. Results from this study will contribute to the understanding of the SRH needs of women and girls with disabilities and support quality service delivery to that population. In addition, it will also contribute to policy implementation and the Health Strategy of the country taking into cognisant that the current strategy is ending this year (2020).

Scope of the Study

The SRH services considered in this study include:

Access to maternal healthcare services (antenatal care services, birth delivery services, and postnatal care services);

Access to family planning services including contraceptives; Access to menstrual hygiene products (such as sanitary wear, adult diapers, etc);

Availability and accessibility of GBV prevention and response services.

The rationale for the Study conducted in the Mutare district (both the urban and rural areas)

The rationale for the Study

This study is premised on Article 25 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which mandates State Parties to provide persons with disabilities with the same range, quality, and standard of free or affordable healthcare programmes as provided to the other persons including in the area of sexual and reproductive health. This read together with Article 9 of the CRPD on Accessibility implies that SRH services provided to the general population whether the private or public need to be available to persons with disabilities including women and girls. The CRPD also in Article 11 obligates State Parties to take all necessary measures to ensure the protection and safety of persons with disabilities in situations of risk. Given the interdependence of human rights, this study will explore the extent to which the SRHR of women and girls with disabilities were protected during the COVID-19 pandemic. This information is critical in the implementation of the Convention in the country as well as fulfilling the rights of women and girls with disabilities as explained in the Convention.

This study also contributes to the achievement of Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals, specifically target 3.7 which states that “By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.” In addition, it contributes to the achievement of target 5.6 which explains the need to “Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences.”

This study is also in line with the provisions of the Constitution of Zimbabwe (Amendment No. 20) of 2013. Section 22 (3) (c) encourages the use and development of forms of communication suitable for persons with disabilities and paragraph 4 mandates the State to take all measures to ensure that buildings and amenities that the public has access to are accessible to persons with disabilities. In addition, the right to health is detailed in Section 76 guaranteeing every citizen and permanent resident of Zimbabwe the right to have access to basic healthcare including reproductive healthcare services.

Assignment of the consultant

The role of the consultant will be: To carry out a data collection in Mutare Urban and Mutare Rural on access to SRHR by women with disabilities during COVID 19; To identify the challenges that women with disabilities face in accessing SRHR services during the COVID-19 pandemic;

To document the gaps in the COVID-19 response strategies in addressing the SRHR needs of women with disabilities; To understand the constraints and gaps in the SRHR service delivery for women with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic; To come up with a position paper and a report for the research.