Volunteers working to provide meals for schoolchildren during the Zimbabwe food crisis. (29 July 2016. © Isabel Corthier/Caritas)
By Caritas Internationalis
Sep 21 2022
IN March 2021, Caritas Internationalis hosted a series of four webinars on the theme Women and COVID-19 – A reflection on the role of women in the (post) COVID-19 world. The webinars explored the impact and ongoing effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on women, with input from over twenty members across the Caritas Confederation and other key stakeholders.
The themes covered included the challenges and aspirations from experiences across the Confederation, the actions of women in leadership and at the frontline response to the pandemic, and the role of women as levers of development as we look towards a post-COVID world.
In continuity with the successful initiative organized in 2021, the 2022 Caritas Celebrates Women month intended to highlight the significant presence and contribution of women to the Caritas Confederation and in society, to identify key needs, and mobilise the Confederation in a process of walking together to witness, dialogue and take action to promote and work towards the participation of women at all levels. The purpose was to show how women are important and active agents as we look towards building a post-COVID world.
At the beginning of this initiative, the war in Ukraine had just begun. This difficult situation increased the visibility of the role which women play in the protection and care of families and communities, despite also emphasising their increased vulnerability and suffering during conflict.
The four webinars focused on the central themes of dialogue, hope, solidarity, and the future. As well as focusing on the war in Ukraine, the Caritas Celebrates Women month addressed a range of additional contemporary contexts and topics, including poverty, hunger, climate change, water crises, migration and refugee situations, health, hygiene and wellbeing.
Caritas Internationalis has gathered a report on the month-long Caritas Celebrates Women initiative.
