Lockdown disrupts CSOs operations

THE COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted civic society organisations (CSOs) activities in Africa, particularly through curtailing face-toface community interactions, staff movement and activities, the Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights (MIHR) has said.

Governments across the world implemented lockdowns as one of the measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 and protect citizens.

In a report released yesterday, MIHR said CSOs were feeling the negative effects of lockdowns as they take preventive measures to curb infections and adhere to national lockdown regulations.

"This is according to a June report by African NGOs and Epic Africa titled The Impact of COVID-19 on African Civil Society Organisations Challenges, Responses and Opportunities, which was conducted in 44 African countries through contributions from 1 015 CSOs,” the report read.

“The report indicates that 98% CSOs reported that COVID-19 impacted and disrupted their operations in one or more ways. Most of the immediate impacts of the pandemic include: Reduced face-to-face community interactions (79,35%), restricted movement of staff (73,97%), reduced or cancelled operations (69,34%), forced staff to work from home (67,83%), introduced new ways of conducting work (64,96%), loss of funding (55,69%).”

MIHR said CSOs did not expect that their operations would return to “normal”, in the medium term and there was significant uncertainty about what the future holds.

“Most importantly, CSOs are envisaging continued challenges in the following areas: loss of funding, reduced face-to-face community interactions, continue introducing new ways of conducting work; restricted movement of staff; reduced or cancelled operations,” the report read.

“MIHR notes with concern that the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown measures bring with them numerous forms of human rights violations that include torture of citizens by State security agents, embezzlement of COVID-19 donations, lack of information and poor service delivery. All these circumstances demand the presence of civic society organisations to monitor and document rights violations for justice's sake, holding authorities accountable for transparency and accountability, and providing alternative and simplified media and information sources to the public.”

MIHR said reduced CSOs operations greatly impacted the poor urban and rural communities who rely on civic society for information, education and communication and for supporting local human rights defenders.

CSOs play the role of whistleblowers of human rights abuses, particularly by the government, and are involved in upholding the rule of law, human rights and fostering reforms needed in a democracy.

MIHR said CSOs' failure to operate was likely to reverse the gains made so far.