COVID-19 Pandemic and Social Fractures in Nigeria : Challenges to Building Gender Inclusive Social Policy

Abstract

In response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic, the first primary and immediate response of countries all over the world, including Nigeria, has been to introduce series of protocol, including lockdown, with its subsequent “relaxation”, and other public heath guidelines on the large section of the population and human activities, as attempts to reduce the spread of the pandemic. However, implicated in the lockdown protocols has also been “irreparable damage” on the people, and their socio-economic activities; unleashing twin problems of deprivation and anxiety, for people in Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA). The paper takes on a gender lens to analyze and provide a critical understanding of current dimensions and implications of COVID-19 pandemic, now referred to as “shadow pandemic”, as it exacerbates existing poverty and inequalities, on the lived experiences and livelihood of a particular category of Nigerian population, women and the vulnerable. It evaluates the current policy response, encapsulated in social protections and other policy intervention programs of public authorities in Nigeria, in mitigating the impact of the pandemic and its “shadow underbelly”. Evidence continue to show the “residualist” dimensions of social protection programs, even in the context of post COVID-19 pandemic, not only as it demonstrates a “gender tip” to quality of life and livelihood for women, but more significantly, as it once again illustrates the minimalist dimensions of neo-liberal framing of social protection architecture in Sub-Sahara