One of the greatest dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the increased risk of family violence. Women, especially, are suffering abuse at the hands of family members in their home.
It’s hard enough for many of us to deal with the isolation required to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Now, imagine fearing for your safety in your own home – knowing you can’t leave.
In Peru, the number of COVID-19 cases has skyrocketed, forcing communities into harsh lockdowns. For the vulnerable communities made up of families living in poverty, many people are struggling to make ends meet.
Houses are crowded, so staying at home all the time is not an easy situation. Children are not likely to return to school until 2021. And with widespread job losses, generating an income is increasingly difficult. Each day, stress levels rise for families in Peru.
These are the factors that can often lead to an increase in family violence.
With restricted movement across communities in Peru, it’s getting harder to reach the women and children most at risk of family violence. We must come up with ways of connecting with people outside of face-to-face contact.
Through our Enhancing Women’s Civil Participation Project, a joint initiative with our local partner CCAIJO, we’re working hard to address this problem.
The generosity of people like you has allowed us to support CCAIJO’s special radio program called ‘Kuska Llank’aspa’ which means working together. The radio program offers content to meet some of the greatest areas of need for families in Peru. It has presented programs on topics like Family Farming during Quarantine, Promoting Women’s Leadership in Compliance with Protocols at Home, and Job Opportunities for Young People.
The radio program is an effective way of getting important messages to families while people are stuck in their homes. Throughout the lockdown, the radio program has been extended from one hour to three hours per week to allow time to focus on the most alarming issues around family violence during COVID-19.
This program not only raises awareness about family violence, it also provides vital information to listeners on the resources available to deal with the effects of violence in the home. It’s a way to support women in the darkest moments – so they don’t feel completely helpless and alone.
Our Enhancing Women’s Civil Participation Project is essential for keeping women and children in Peru safe from the risk of family violence. And we need your support to make sure vital programs like the ‘Kuska Llank’aspa’ radio program can continue.
Please donate today to keep women in Peru safe by visiting our donation page here.
Enhancing Women’s Civil Participation Project in rural Peru receives support from the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP)
