The “Shadow Pandemic”: Gender-based and Domestic Violence against Women in Times of Covid-19
by Vitulia Ivone and Stefania Negri
pp. 138-159 Issue 16 (8,2) – July-December 2021 ISSN (online): 2539/2239 ISSN (print): 2389-8232 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14718/SoftPower.2021.8.2.8
Abstract
In June 2020 UN Women warned of a “shadow pandemic” occurring alongside COVID-19: a rising tide of gender-based and domestic violence associated with public health measures restricting freedom of movement, such as compulsory home confinement, lockdown and curfew. International organizations raised the alarm about this mounting and under-reported wave of violence. They urged all States to adopt anti-COVID measures consistent with the principle of non-discrimination and internationally agreed standards of protection of women’s rights. International human rights bodies also issued repeated calls on States to comply with the obligations stemming from human rights treaties, especially due diligence obligations. The CEDAW Committee and GREVIO provided guidance on how to apply CEDAW and the Istanbul Convention in the context of the pandemic, issuing recommendations on actions to be taken. While both instruments provided solid legal bases to protect women from both pandemics, the Istanbul Convention undoubtedly offered the most suitable tools, as the practice of most European States, including Italy, revealed.