Responding to COVID-19: Supporting the wellbeing of LBTQ communities in Zimbabwe
By Patience Mandishona, Director of Pakasipiti
In this series we speak to our partners about the challenges COVID-19 has presented to them and women in their communities and the difference the Womankind COVID-19 Resilience Grants will make. In this piece Patience from Womankind partner Pakasipiti talks about the toll the lockdown has had on LBTQ people, one of the most marginalised groups in Zimbabwe and how the Womankind COVID-19 resilience grants is facilitating them to resist the rollback on women’s rights.
The lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer (LBTQ) community has been hit hard by the uncertainty, not being sure if you will still have a job and be able to put food on the table is causing huge anxiety that is taking its toll. As most members of our community are in informal employment they have seen their source of livelihood gone and are stuck at home with no income and food.
The impact of COVID-19 on mental health
“Life is very hard for me [I can’t] come out, because once my family knows I will be thrown out of the house and there’s nowhere to go. [The] worse thing is I’m not employed.” – Anonymous person supported by Pakasipiti.
Mental ill-health and social isolation have been worsened in the context of quarantine and restricted movement. Many LBTQ people have been forced to return to the parental or familial home and be in confinement with invalidating or even abusive family members. Home is not a safe haven for many but a war zone. This period has been particularly difficult for people in the closet hiding their sexuality who have had to further isolate themselves from the prying eyes of their families. Access to safe spaces is of paramount importance to the well-being of the LBTQ community and not being able to go to support groups may result in anxiety, breakdowns, depression and violence.
As well as impacts to their mental health LBTQ people face barriers to accessing healthcare due to discrimination, stigmatisation, or healthcare providers’ lack of understanding of LBTQ issues. This means LBTQ persons are more reluctant to seek medical care. The traumatic emotional and psychological experiences they have faced has resulted in a reduced access to health services in general and sexual and reproductive health services in particular, putting the health of already stigmatised groups at increased risk.
With limited access to in person community spaces LBTQ people have turned to online communities for safe spaces and as a way to advocate for LBTQ people. Yet we know that LBTQ people face increased levels of online violence and abuse. COVID-19 has further highlighted the underlying vulnerability of LBTQ people and the need to safeguard online spaces. The online spaces also come at a high financial cost and many LBTQ people cannot readily and easily afford and access the spaces. For online spaces to be safer for LBTQ people the Zimbabwe government must invest more on digital spaces so that they are widely available and free from online violence and abuse.
Making our voices heard
“Keeping a good mental health is a bit of a challenge during this period, especially being in a hostile environment, where there’s always tension. I have to keep to my room to avoid unnecessary conflicts. “– Anonymous person supported by Pakasipiti
Since the beginning of the pandemic Pakasipiti has worked to ensure that the specific needs of LBTQ people are accounted for as countries adjust and develop their responses to the pandemic. We are working with the broader women’s movement to make sure that the national response plans prioritise support for women e.g. inclusion of prevention efforts and services to respond to violence against women and girls into COVID 19 response plans. We have continued to align and create comprehensive partnerships with progressive organisations who have opened up their spaces to provide psycho-social support to LBTQ people, even in areas we cannot access across the country.
Rediscovering hope: A safe community for LBTQ people
We have created safe online platforms for wellbeing including help lines and befriending services where members can join group conversations and share strategies on coping with issues. We have used these platforms to get feedback from community members around their experiences during the lockdown especially of violence and have also assisted a few community members to relocate from homes where there were under sever threats of GBV.
We also use these online groups as a way to keep the LBTQ community updated and check in on the needs of people daily. Vital verified information on the pandemic as well as issues around safety and security is being affectively shared this way.
The Womankind COVID-19 resilience grant has enabled us as an organisation to create alternative work spaces in homes for staff to work remotely, helping to reduce exposure to the virus while continuing their important work. It also enabled us to strengthen our online community to continue to provide a safe space where LBTQ people can seek help for their physical and mental health, including access to online psychological support.
The important element around wellness, wellbeing, healing and care has been at the core of all of our COVID-19 strategies and interventions. With the support of The Womankind COVID-19 resilience grants we’ve been able to hold virtual conversations that have helped our community members find that sense of healing and security in times when they had lost all hope.
