Sejak penyebaran virus COVID-19 diputuskan menjadi pandemik oleh Organisasi Kesehatan Dunia atau WHO, hampir semua negara yang terdampak mengalihkan perhatian pada penanganan dan pencegahan virus corona. Yayasan Plan International Indonesia (Plan Indonesia) melalui proyek Water for Women—didanai oleh Australian Aid—berupaya memberikan respons dan mendorong keterlibatan aktif masyarakat dalam pencegahan pandemik COVID-19, terutama pada masyarakat yang paling sering termarginalisasi.
Kaum perempuan di Manggarai mau menjadi relawan dalam tim desa maupun kecamatan percontohan proyek Water for Women untuk mengedukasi masyarakat agar tidak tertular virus COVID-19 melalui promosi Cuci Tangan Pakai Sabun (CTPS), pembagian media poster, dan juga promosi keliling menggunakan toa (pengeras suara).
Dari perwakilan 3 orang tim STBM Desa yang diberi peningkatan kapasitas penanganan COVID-19 di masing-masing kecamatan, sebagian besar adalah perempuan. Dalam kesibukan mereka melaksanakan tanggung jawab domestik, para perempuan tim STBM tidak patah semangat untuk memutus mata rantai penularan COVID-19 di masyarakat. Beberapa kegiatan yang dilakukan, yaitu: melakukan promosi keliling desa dan kelurahan, melakukan sosialisasi CTPS dengan air mengalir, penempelan stiker CTPS, dan melakukan pendataan pilar 1 (Stop Buang Air Besar Sembarangan) serta 2 (Cuci Tangan Pakai Sabun).
Pemerintah Kecamatan mengapresiasi keterlibatan aktif kaum perempuan di masa pandemi ini. Selama ini, kaum perempuan dituntut untuk membagi bertanggung jawab dan peran mereka di keluarga, pekerjaan, dan juga masyarakat. Perempuan menerima beban ganda saat harus terlibat dalam kegiatan masyarakat seperti ini. Plan Indonesia terus berusaha agar perempuan memiliki peran dan kewajiban yang setara dengan laki-laki di masyarakat. Salah satunya adalah dengan terus mendorong keterlibatan perempuan yang aktif dan bermakna dalam forum diskusi atau kegiatan di wilayah mereka masing-masing.
Oleh: Lot Piter Palaipeni/ Yuliani
Women As Vanguard In Prevention Of COVID-19 Pandemic
Since the COVID-19 virus was decided to be a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), almost all affected countries have turned their attention to the treatment and prevention of the coronavirus. Yayasan Plan International Indonesia (Plan Indonesia) through the Water for Women (WfW) project – funded by Australian Aid – seeks to respond and encourage active community involvement in the prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the most marginalized communities.
Women in Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, want to become volunteers in the village and sub-district pilot teams of the WfW project to educate the public not to be infected with the COVID-19 virus through the promotion of handwashing with soap (CTPS), distribution of posters, and also a mobile tour using loudspeakers.
Of the representatives of 3 Villages Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) teams who were given increased capacity to handle COVID-19 in each sub-district, most were women. Within their busy time carrying out domestic responsibilities, the CLTS women team members were not discouraged to break the chain of transmission of COVID-19 in the community. Some of the activities carried out are conducting a tour around the village and village, socializing a practice and sticking stickers about handwashing with soap with running water, and collecting data on 1st pillar of CLTS (Stop Open Defecation) and 2nd pillar (Handwashing with Soap).
The District Government appreciates the women’s active involvement in this pandemic. During this time, women are required to share their responsibilities and roles in the family, work, and also society. Women receive a double burden when they have to be involved in community activities like this. Plan Indonesia continues to strive so that women have roles and obligations that are equal to men in society. One way is to continue to encourage active and meaningful involvements of women in discussion forums or activities in their respective regions.
