Conflict in the Time of Coronavirus

Coronavirus requires a collaborative, intensive, and comprehensive response to save lives and repair economies. This work cannot happen while conflict ravages some of the same populations most vulnerable to the virus. Wars weaken the foundations needed to combat COVID-19 – access to food and healthcare and the ability to shelter and engage in social  distancing. Conflict increases food insecurity, destroys healthcare systems, increases displacement, and denies people their livelihoods. Additionally, the two billion people living in conflict affected states are the ones most likely to be devastated by the global economic recession.

In terms of food insecurity, the World Food Programme warns that coronavirus could trigger acute food shortages for double the amount of people in 2020 and famines of biblical proportions. As it stood before the pandemic, 135 million people are suffering from acute food insecurity. Many of the same people experiencing food insecurity, live in countries experiencing violent conflict who cannot allocate the resources to a large-scale coronavirus response as well as combat food insecurity.

One of the most crucial protection measures against COVID 19 has been lockdowns where people are confined to their homes to limit the spread of the virus. These measures are only effective if people have homes to shelter in. Over 70 million people across the worlds have fled their homes due to conflict and in last year alone there were 33.4 million new internal displacements. Many of these internally displaced people live in camps which can house hundreds of thousands of people. These camps are often without access to necessary hygiene facilities and are hugely under-resourced. The people sheltering in these camps are at high risk of contracting the virus because of the overcrowded and unhygienic reality of the sites.

Men and women experience conflict differently and are also differently impacted by coronavirus. Though men seem to contract the disease at higher numbers, women are at the forefront of the pandemic. Women represent the majority of frontline medical workers and are often most likely to go without within a family unit. Additionally, the pandemic and state regulations to contain its spread, have led to a horrifying global surge in domestic violence. Gender Based violence often increases in situations of displacement or during a violent conflict. The Coronavirus adds an additional threat to women and girls, particularly those living in conflict affected areas.

An additional concern is that coronavirus has impeded humanitarian access. Measures to prevent the spread of the virus have made delivering life-saving aid in conflict-affected countries much more difficult – with movement restrictions limiting supply chains and resulting in the reduction or suspension of humanitarian activities.

Recognising the devastating impacts of COVID-19 and that our ability to fight the virus is undermined by conflict and war, the UN Secretary-General called for a global ceasefire. While this is a welcome initiative, this life saving support must move beyond rhetoric and be put into practice across the world. The United Nations Security Council has failed to respond and the resolution has been met with deadlock, with the United States recently refusing to vote on the resolution.

A meaningful ceasefire must be built based on local solutions and give communities, women’s groups, and youth the power and representation to make it a reality. In the face of the inaction of the UNSC and the growing crisis in conflict and corona affect places, Ireland must act now.

Ireland must:

• Endorse and ensure the UN Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire
• Pressure other Member States to suspend arms sale and transfers to conflict parties
• Ensure that humanitarian work continues in the face of the pandemic
• Open humanitarian and commercial access to ensure humanitarian staff as well as peacebuilders can reach crisis-affected areas
• Respect IHL and International Human Rights Law and ensure that emergency measures are not exploited to suppress human rights
• Maintain the civilian character of the coronavirus response and confirm that there are strong safeguards to prevent abuses against civilians
• Ensure that the response to the virus is not exploited to deny assistance or discriminate on asylum

We need our leaders to take bold actions, which until recently were thought impossible. We demand that political leaders deliver on the global ceasefire, in solidarity with people across the world and for a more peaceful future for us all.