Samuel Ogbe Nokolawe

Socio-economic rights are important to people everywhere in the world and reasonably so, because, they are at the heart of human existence. Access to food, healthcare, education, work, social security, and housing promotes inherent human dignity and ensures improved livelihoods. Indeed, as a bundle of rights it has the transformational effect of getting people out of poverty. For our continent, Africa in particular, access to socio-economic rights is one of the most important group of rights for people given the high levels of poverty, unemployment, housing deficit, challenging healthcare systems, educational infrastructure, and so on.

Given this background, the outbreak and subsequent declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has sent shivers down the spine of many countries around the world. But more importantly, it brought to the forefront more than ever before the increasing need for the effective actualisation of socio-economic rights. In other words, the pandemic has forced socio-economic rights issues into the limelight more than ever before.

So far, about 51 countries on the continent have reported positive cases of the novel pandemic. Quite a majority of these countries have either declared partial or complete lockdowns as a way to curb further spread of the coronavirus. While this is reasonable and practical intervention from a scientific point of view, as we’re are being told, this obviously does come at a cost to the continuous commitment towards human rights, but more specifically, matters of socio-economic rights such as food, water, health facilities, decent shelter, work, etc.

So far, about 51 countries on the continent have reported positive cases of the novel pandemic. Quite a majority of these countries have either declared partial or complete lockdowns as a way to curb further spread of the coronavirus.

It is for this reason that, this article is even more imperative, given the fact that emphasis thus far by commentators and scholars in the field of human rights relative to the pandemic has focused on the implications of various African states’ measures on the enjoyment of civil and political rights. Put differently, how these ‘draconian’ measures have affected the civil liberties of citizens.  For instance, concerns have been raised about governments using COVID-19 measures to clampdown on dissidents, sexual minority groups, limiting freedom of movements, and so on.

Case in point, in Uganda there are reports of police arrests, assault, and detention of LGBTI persons under the guise of enforcing lockdown protocols. While these concerns are real and very legitimate, they seemingly neglect the assessment of the impact of COVID-19 measures, especially relative to socio-economic rights, may be unjust given the dire socio-economic realities of many Africans further exacerbated on the basis of these lockdowns.

So far, about 51 countries on the continent have reported positive cases of the novel pandemic. Quite a majority of these countries have either declared partial or complete lockdowns as a way to curb further spread of the coronavirus

African burgeoning entrepreneurs who own businesses have been left with no choice than to shut down to avoid further infections by people who may throng to their premises to patronise their products or services.

Lockdowns in Africa, like elsewhere, generally require that people must stay indoors. They must not attempt to go out unless it is absolutely necessary to do so such things as acquiring groceries, medicines or a healthcare emergency, among others. Also, people can only step out if they are regarded as belonging to category of ‘essential workers’ such as health workers, security personnel, media practitioners, inter alia. Schools and other educational facilities have been forced to abruptly bring academic activities to a halt.

African burgeoning entrepreneurs who own businesses have been left with no choice than to shut down to avoid further infections by people who may throng to their premises to patronise their products or services. Among this group of entrepreneurs are workers within the informal sector who have flooded the African labour market and business environment as a solution to high rates of unemployment.

African burgeoning entrepreneurs who own businesses have been left with no choice than to shut down to avoid further infections by people who may throng to their premises to patronise their products or services

Even where some governments have decided to provide food supplies to vulnerable groups, it has been marred with chaotic scenes and accusation of politicisation as witnessed in some parts of Nigeria and Ghana respectively.

These interventions (lockdowns) with all its positive intents notwithstanding, have also come with unintended negative consequences as far as socio-economic rights actualisation is concerned. In the first place, with most Africans in the informal sector living almost on daily or weekly wages, a lockdown means, no work done to earn money to procure basic needs. This has therefore become a nightmare for some African families due to absence from work due to being consigned to their homes. This is even worsened where most African governments do not have credible data on persons living below the poverty line or living on wages to be supported with food rations should there be any desire for intervention.

Additionally, even where some governments have decided to provide food supplies to vulnerable groups, it has been marred with chaotic scenes and accusation of politicisation as witnessed in some parts of Nigeria and Ghana respectively. This undoubtedly exacerbates the food crisis already experienced by families on the continent. Access to food is related to health outcomes because hunger can increase one’s risk of contracting diseases.

Even where some governments have decided to provide food supplies to vulnerable groups, it has been marred with chaotic scenes and accusation of politicisation as witnessed in some parts of Nigeria and Ghana respectively

African governments have come to the consensus that education is key to the total development of their citizens. Consequently, several interventions such as providing free education at the basic and secondary levels with the aim of making education accessible to all have been spearheaded by most governments on the continent.

With the challenge of hunger and the inability of governments to properly identify people who desperately need support, this will most definitely expose people especially children and older persons to other infections not directly related to the pandemic but also making them more susceptible to getting infected by the coronavirus and even dying.

African governments have come to the consensus that education is key to the total development of their citizens. Consequently, several interventions such as providing free education at the basic and secondary levels with the aim of making education accessible to all have been spearheaded by most governments on the continent. While this is commendable, the reality spurt by this pandemic on equal access to education has also somewhat undermined the forward march by most governments in terms of the lockdowns. At the declarations of the various lockdowns, for instance governments promised making e-teaching and learning tools accessible to all students while at home during the period.

African governments have come to the consensus that education is key to the total development of their citizens. Consequently, several interventions such as providing free education at the basic and secondary levels with the aim of making education accessible to all have been spearheaded by most governments on the continent

However, the reality in many rural areas where there is no electricity, let alone computers, becomes a slap in the face of any e-learning initiative. This clearly undermines equal access to educational contents or opportunities by school children and other students alike. Should lessons continue after this, one can only imagine the repercussions for school children who were left in the dark during the period of staying home.

With this COVID-19 conundrum, most African informal sector workers are stuck at home indefinitely with serious consequences for job prospects. This glaring social problem has serious ramifications for Africans ability of getting new jobs let alone providing for themselves and for their families both far (extended family) and near (immediate family).

Also related to the issue about the dominant informal sector on the continent is the discussions about job loses. Most informal sector workers thrive on daily or weekly wages as opined earlier. With this COVID-19 conundrum, most African informal sector workers are stuck at home indefinitely with serious consequences for job prospects. This glaring social problem has serious ramifications for Africans ability of getting new jobs let alone providing for themselves and for their families both far (extended family) and near (immediate family).

Slums are symptomatic of high cost of rent and inadequate housing facilities in most urban centres of Africa. Slums therefore become an immediate solution, as far as finding shelter is concerned, for most rural-urban migrants. Often times, slums are regarded as illegal settlements, and thus receive virtually no attention from African governments. Basic social services such as water, toilet facilities, wells, and structured drainage are therefore not easily accessible, making sanitary conditions worse.

In this era of lockdowns, access to water, which is at the centre of complying with precautionary measures such as washing of hands, is not in the equation for most African “slum dwellers”. Overcrowding in these spaces are obvious nightmares and makes social and physical distancing practically impossible as being admonished by the WHO and health officials. While hoping for this medical puzzle to end very soon, some government agencies in countries such as Ghana and South Africa have, in these critical moments of adhering to lockdown measures and in their ‘infinite wisdom,’ resorted to demolishing structures in areas regarded as slums.

With this COVID-19 conundrum, most African informal sector workers are stuck at home indefinitely with serious consequences for job prospects. This glaring social problem has serious ramifications for Africans ability of getting new jobs let alone providing for themselves and for their families both far (extended family) and near (immediate family)

African governments must be serious about the development of the various sectors of their societies. That way, access to basic social services such as water, food banks, education, electrification, and digitization of education become a reality for their citizens.

Such action in Ghana took place in supposedly, the biggest slum in Accra, popularly known as the Old Fadama. This is definitely not the way to go and worsening the already complicated housing problems for these slum dwellers. This callous decision, thankfully has received the condemnation from some civil society organisations such as Ghana’s office of the Amnesty International.

What are the necessary lessons for African leaders under these current circumstances? The answer thus lies in the wide array of issues to be addressed. First point to note is, African governments must be serious about the development of the various sectors of their societies. That way, access to basic social services such as water, food banks, education, electrification, and digitization of education become a reality for their citizens. COVID-19 has proven that these socio-economic services are needed more than ever before and cannot be sacrificed on the altar of flimsy political justification.

Therefore, improving the socio-economic standards of the African people by governments even in times of crisis such as this one is clearly a non-negotiable commitment. This is because pandemics are inescapable realities of life and that governments must therefore be on guard at all times building systems to contain similar scourge in the future.

African governments must be serious about the development of the various sectors of their societies. That way, access to basic social services such as water, food banks, education, electrification, and digitization of education become a reality for their citizens

Joining forces with businesses and faith based organisations is also another very important step in actualising socio-economic rights of many Africans as this pandemic has shown forcefully; and, that such partnerships can be a force for good.

Joining forces with businesses and faith based organisations is also another very important step in actualising socio-economic rights of many Africans as this pandemic has shown forcefully; and, that such partnerships can be a force for good. Whilst governments are doing their part in supplying food to vulnerable communities, businesses are also doing the same and pledging large sums of money into Trust Funds established by governments. For example, in Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa, the business and faith based communities have responded positively to the government’s call for support in dealing with this albatross around the neck of many nations of the world. This is a classic case of public-private partnership deployed in addressing various needs of citizens during a global health emergency.

In conclusion, African governments must wake up from their slumber, respect human rights at all times, including during emergencies situations such as COVID-19 lockdowns, build necessary strategic partnerships, raise the needed capital to vigorously pursue socio-economic rights on a large scale with a particular focus on vulnerable groups whose socio-economic rights are mostly affected during times such as these. African governments may realise these recommendations under a strategic direction of the African Union-the umbrella continental body of African governments.

 

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Source photo : Alwihda Info