11/18/2020
Registration is now open!
WHO Social Determinants of Health Webinar
“COVID-19, social determinants and violence”
Wednesday, 2 December 2020 16h00 - 17h00 CET
Register: https://who.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jiiwHbULQZejGLs9zIt9wg
Dr Mark Bellis, Bangor University
Dr Faith Mwangi-Powell, Girls Not Brides
Dr Manuel Eisner, Cambridge University
Dr Etienne Krug, Director, WHO Department of Social
Determinants of Health
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended our world and exacerbated inequalities in many countries and
communities. One of the consequences of COVID-19 and the societal responses to the virus has been
an increase in some types of violence. This includes child maltreatment, youth violence, intimate
partner violence, sexual violence, and elder abuse. In addition to the immediate harms, these acts
of violence will have pernicious, lifelong health effects on those affected and risk undermining
their potential and ultimately impede social and economic development.
It is known that far from being randomly distributed, all forms of violence are strongly patterned
by social determinants such as economic, social and gender inequalities; lack of occupational and
educational opportunities; ease of access to alcohol, drugs and fi****ms; family dysfunction; and
norms and values that shape the acceptability of violence. In turn, high levels of violence can
themselves amplify these social determinants in a vicious circle.
This webinar will explore how violence is a significant contributor to human suffering and how the
societal responses to COVID-19 such as stay-at-home measures, workplace and school closures, and
restrictions on sales of alcohol highlight the interrelationships between social determinants and violence. These complex interrelationships will be explored and their implications unpacked to suggest likely future trends in the prevalence of violence and its prevention.
• Mark Bellis. From before birth to older age, greater risks of experiencing violence are associated with increasing deprivation. The consequences of abuse, neglect and other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can result in immediate harms and lifelong impacts on health, behaviour and opportunities to experience prosperous lives – locking individuals, families and communities into multi-generational cycles of poverty and violence. This presentation considers how the emerging consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to control it may affect levels of violence and ACEs and their long- term impacts on population health and behaviour.
• Faith Mwangi-Powell. In Africa many of the complex factors that drive child marriage in stable
environments have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic as family and community structures break down. These challenges have been heightened by loss of household income, lack of access to schooling and higher risk of violence in the home. This has resulted in an acceleration of child
marriage and teenage pregnancy in many countries. It is therefore important to ensure that the welfare of adolescent girls is at the heart of the COVID-19 response and recovery. Government must make this issue priority policy so that adverse impacts on girls can be mitigated.
• Manuel Eisner. The effects of societal responses to COVID-19 on violence are an important topic for research. Examining these effects can help to better understand the processes that drive increases and decreases in violence. Using data from 25 across all regions of the world, this presentation examines how the various public health responses to COVID-19 had different short- and long-term effects on robbery, assault, and homicide rates, and reflects on what these findings may imply for the violence- related Sustainable Development goals.
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: WHO Social Determinants of Health Webinar No. 2: “COVID-19, social determinants and violence”. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.
