Tackling the Shadow Pandemic: Faith Actors Calling for Greater Action to End
Gender Based Violence and Violence Against Children during COVID-19
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As faith leaders and people of faith from across West and Central Africa, we are called to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic with love, dignity and justice. In these times of crisis, we must reach out to the vulnerable and form partnerships that
ensure no one is left behind. In our communities, countries, regions and globally, COVID19 is increasing inequalities. We are witnessing a rise in gender-based violence and violence against children. Under lockdown policies, many women and children are forced to stay in homes where they are not safe or secure. The closure of schools’ impact on the education of children with girls bearing the heaviest impact now and in the long-term, with an increased risk for child marriage and child labour.
As people of faith, from different countries and religions, we are working to respond to COVID-19 and the shadow pandemic. As leaders within our faith communities, we often have moral authority and are well positioned to share positive health messaging and guidance.

We call upon our national governments to:
1. Identify or create community radio stations to communicate clear health
guidance and provide community and school education.
2. Reinforce the legal instruments of child protection in this period of the
pandemic, to ensure that perpetrators of violence are prosecuted.
3. Provide Personal Protective Equipment to ensure education and health
services can open safely.
4. 'work with local structures of governance and community leaders to identify
and support the most vulnerable women and children with essential grants.
5. Empower women to access equal paid job opportunities.
6. Resource faith spaces to provide counselling to all community members.
We call upon our fellow faith leaders and communities to:
7. Work together in these times of crisis and strengthen partnerships to
respond to COVID-19.
8. Train and resource community members to be peer educators on COVID19, child protection and gender justice.
9. Speak out against violence in the home, community, country and globally.
10. Support social solidarity through whatever means are available, and for those with additional resources to support connection and community among those most at-risk.