Human rights and education for Gambian young women during COVID-19: Recommendations for social policy and practice

Abstract

COVID-19 is not only a global health disaster but a full-fledged social, economic, and political crisis that could disrupt the gains made in women’s education and empowerment. In The Gambia, issues of unequal access to educational resources determined by gender, geographical location, and social class; a disproportionate burden of household chores imposed on women and girls; and economic pressures have the potential to expose girls to more violence, exclusion, and abuse. In this article, we use a human rights framework, as conceptualized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), and discuss increases in educational inequality that young women in a poor, conservative, and patriarchal society will face during the COVID-19 pandemic. We propose solutions to mitigate these issues through social protection policies and practices that can ensure the right to education for the most vulnerable and marginalized.