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- Convenors:
-
Agatha Ogbe
(Opolo Global Innovation Limited, Lagos State, Nigeria)
Sarah Edewor (Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research, Nigeria)
Chinyere Igbosoroeze (Federal university of Agriculture Abeokuta)
Kingsley Edewor (Saradore Trust Nigeria Limited)
Esther Tolorunju (Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta)
Olatokunbo Hammed Osinowo (Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria)
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- Formats:
- Papers Mixed
- Stream:
- Global environmental justice
- Sessions:
- Friday 2 July, -
Time zone: Europe/London
Short Abstract:
The COVID-19 pandemic is having widespread impacts on migrants, disasters displaced persons and refugees as well as significant effects on the different facets of migration both locally and globally.
Long Abstract:
Globally, climate change remains of concern to world leaders because of its debilitating effects on humans and the environment. The number of persons been evacuated and displaced continues to rise with the rising incidence of adverse weather events. Almost 2,000 disasters in 2019 triggered the new displacement of 24.9 million people. About one-third of the world’s internally displaced persons live in countries most at-risk to COVID-19. They also face specific challenges relating to the COVID-19 containment measures of physical distancing and other infection prevention measures practices due to the densely populated accommodations. The impact of climate change makes the chances of disasters striking during COVID-19 outbreak more severe on displaced persons making them more vulnerable as they are faced with three crises rolled into one: health crisis, socio-economic crisis and protection crisis.
This panel seek papers that will address the following issues: what are the possible challenges encountered in protecting the most vulnerable (displaced person) in the event of climate change and COVID-19? What possible social safety nets are in place for disasters displaced persons and environmental migrants? Are there response measures in place in shelter centres in situations where capacity is exceeded to evacuate large groups of persons in order to prevent catastrophic health risk? What measures are in place to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change, eliminate drivers of displacement and protect human rights?
The aim of the conveners is to develop a collaborative publication from the panels’ collection of papers
Accepted papers:
Session 1 Friday 2 July, 2021, -Paper short abstract:
The health threat posed by climate change and the Coronavirus pandemic is of massive global magnitude. With the fear of a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, it becomes very important to identify measures and social safety nets targeted at displaced persons.
Paper long abstract:
Climate change and COVID-19 haVe caused global disturbances that haVe surpassed borders and posed threats to the lives of the world population. In Nigeria, the number of displaced persons due to disaster stood at 157,000 at the end of 2019. With The increase in the number of persons displaced in Nigeria due to disasters such as floods and drought, together with those displaced by conflicts and violence, effort have been made by the Nigerian Government, individuals and Non-governmental organizationsto proffer lasting (mitigation and/ or adaptation) strategies/solutions to this problem. The challenge associated with protecting those displaced is often compounded by the declining security situation in the country, socio-economic fragility, harsh climatic conditions, poor infrastructure and poverty. With the advent of the coronavirus, the inability of displaced persons to strictly adhere to some of the measures such as social distancing, use of face mask, constant washing of hands with soap and fast flowing water due to their crowded living conditions and limited access to basic amenities may likely increase the spread of the virus This paper will make use of secondary data from the COVID-19 Situation Analysis of IDPs in North-Eastern (Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe) Nigeria. The paper will specifically seek to understand the scope of displacement; assess the knowledge, practice and impact of COVID-19 on IDPs, identify the social safety nets in place and the main drivers curbing the spread of the virus in IDP camps.
Paper short abstract:
The study examines how government addresses the 2020 flooding in Bayelsa State taking COVID-19 into consideration.
Paper long abstract:
Flooding is the foremost natural disaster in Nigeria. Bayesla State, Nigeria, is one that has recurrently suffered from flood crises. Studies identified rising sea levels in addition to low elevation as some of the factors causing flooding in the State. While the State is familiar with its perpetual foe – flooding, March 2020 ushered in the outbreak of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Nigeria. While residents of Bayelsa sought to combat COVID-19, the State was hit by powerful floods in April and September 2020.
Reflecting on the foregoing, the study provides answers to the questions of how did the government address the 2020 flooding in Bayelsa State taking COVID-19 into consideration? And what are the socio-economic effect of COVID-19 on the 2020 flood victims in Bayelsa?
Using a qualitative research design, the study sourced data primarily from 24 purposively selected respondents using semi- structured interviews. Respondents includes flood victims and officials in the eight local government areas in Bayelsa State. It extended to officials from the National Emergency Management Agency, Bayelsa State Emergency Management Agency, Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, and the Bayelsa Medical University.
Findings of the studies suggest that most flood victims during the COVID-19 pandemic fled their homes and relied on social capital to survive as the Bayelsa State lacked internally displaced camps. Government didn’t take into cognizance the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic as assistance i.e relief materials was unnecessarily delayed. The study recommends that government should tackle flood crises at a more fundamental level.
Paper short abstract:
The rate of food insecurity and displacement of people has been on the increase and this has escalated due to climate change and COVID 19 pandemic. If nothing is done to salvage this situation, a projected 3.6 million or more people will bel severely food insecure.
Paper long abstract:
In Nigeria, food insecurity is at an alarming state most especially in the north eastern part of the country.
Farmers are faced with the problems of erosion, drought as a result of the climate change. This has affected their production levels. According to FAO, food insecurity has been declared as an emergency.
The north eastern part of Nigeria that produces most of the food that are supplied to other parts of the country are faced with other social problems like insurgency amidst the climate change. Most of the people are displaced from their homes having lost their farm lands to natural disasters. Families now depend on humanitarian access for their daily needs.
The emergence of COVID 19 pandemic has further worsened the situation. Farmers were prevented from going to the farms, social distancing, and other COVID 19 guidlines has their consequential effects.
What measures can be put in place to mitigate this escalating problem of food insecurity. How can farmers be assisted to recover farmlands that they lost. How can the displaced families be given a new lease of life.
COVID 19 has caused so much deaths. The income of farmers have dwindled and they are unable to receive proper medical care thereby leading to their death. Their farms are unattended to due to their ill heath, less food is produced, the prices of food increases and a large population are hungry. All these will be reviewed in this paper.
Paper short abstract:
Aid workers and humanitarian workers have a task to respond in emergencies like Covid19. We draw experiences from Malawi on how humanitarians are responding to the Covid-19 while protecting the rights or women, children and other vulnerable.
Paper long abstract:
Malawi is one of the disaster- prone countries in the SADC region and it has been hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the past decades, Malawi has experienced droughts, acute food shortage, floods, cyclone emergencies and currently, the Covid-19 pandemic which has affected livelihoods. During such disaster and emergency situations, it is mostly the marginalized groups; women and girls, people with disabilities children and the elderly who are mostly affected. The emergency situations increase their risk of abuse, neglect and rights violations, as protective structures collapse and family ties are weakened. This has been the case for this Covid-19 pandemic Gender sensitivity protection and safeguarding efforts by humanitarian organizations, experts, workers and volunteers are among the minimum standards that are established as principles for humanitarian aid. Aid workers or humanitarian workers, are called to actively prevent and protect marginalized groups, women and girls, from being abused and ensure that they are able to access gender sensitive services, secure shelters or safe spaces, and to reduce adverse impacts of the disasters. This paper is organized around three components: First, how are Malawian humanitarians or aid workers, are guided by the international and regional human rights systems, to address the gender and protection concerns during Covid 19. Second, an analysis of challenges that humanitarian workers face in ensuring the protection of women’s rights in this period. Third, to what extent can the aid workers genuinely embrace gender responsive approaches as an organizing principle of humanitarian work in the pandemic.