SDG 16 AND

THE

PANDEMIC
"From the New Normal
to the Better Normal"

Arvhie S. Santos
National Director in Education end Research
Youth for Human Rights and Democracy
 Goal 16:

Promote peaceful and inclusive

societies for sustainable
development, provide access to
justice for all and build effective,
accountable
and inclusive institutions at all
levels.
 Importance

of SDG 16 in achieving the

Institutions play a
sustainable development

goals
key role in
sustainable
The world is facing an development as
unprecedented crisis. At its core is they establish and
a global public health emergency enforce rules in
on a scale not seen for a century, society to maintain
requiring a global response with
peace and justice and
far-reaching consequences for
our economic, social and political
protect human rights.
lives.
 of SDG
Importance

16 in achieving the
The centrality of
sustainable development protection of lives,
which underpins the
goals

response in
humanitarian
SDG 16 presents a guide to our settings, ensures that
government on how to exercise we collectively
their power so that it is used for preserve our
the benefit of the people and not
common humanity
to do harm.
and dignity.
 How

the COVID -19 Has PEACE: Fear and Harassment

Hindered the Towards Health Workers
Achievement of SDG 16

Health care workers have been cited as experiencing a high risk of

violence. Many health workers suffer physical abuse at some point
in their careers, and a lot more are threatened or exposed to
verbal aggression.

Reports of health workers being attacked became news, with

many experiencing eviction, ridicule, and harassment.
 How

the COVID -19 Has PEACE: Fear and Harassment

Hindered the Towards Health Workers
Achievement of SDG 16

The healthcare workers have always enjoyed the trust of our

community. But hysteria could make us turn on them so quickly.

As a long-term consequence, this kind of violence compromises

the quality of care nurses can offer, and puts the health care
system at risk. The physical exhaustion, psychological
helplessness, and the health threat itself frequently lead to a large
number of negative emotions such as anxiety, fear, and
powerlessness.
 How

the COVID -19 Has PEACE: Discrimination and

Hindered the Racism Amidst Coronavirus
Achievement of SDG 16

The spread of COVID-19 has given Philippines law enforcement

broad discretion to enforce public health measures. When
discrimination is added to the mix, that unfettered power can be
particularly demeaning and dehumanizing for vulnerable groups.
PEACE: Discrimination and
Racism Amidst Coronavirus

Where curfews exist as a means

of slowing the spread
of the virus, they should be
enforced in a professional,
measured manner that does
not jeopardize people’s rights and
dignity.
 How

the COVID -19 Has PEACE: Discrimination and

Hindered the Racism Amidst Coronavirus
Achievement of SDG 16

Efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 are essential, but

should not be used as an excuse to demean vulnerable groups.
The humiliation of vulnerable groups in the Philippines
demonstrates the need for oversight and accountability to ensure
that officials across the country respect people’s rights and
dignity during the current crisis.
 PEACE: Discrimination and
Racism Amidst Coronavirus

The masses’ reaction to the Wuhan

coronavirus outbreak made us
realize that there lingers a divide
between Chinese-Filipinos and
pure-blooded Filipinos despite
having shared one home country for
hundreds of years.
 How

the COVID -19 Has PEACE: Discrimination and

Hindered the Racism Amidst Coronavirus
Achievement of SDG 16

Examine our own biases and consider where they may have
originated. What messages did we receive as a kid about people
who are different from us? What was the racial and/or ethnic
make-up of our neighborhood, school, or religious community?
These experiences produce and reinforce bias, stereotypes, and
prejudice, which can lead to discrimination. Eengage in tough
conversations about race and injustice. Examining our own biases
can help us work to ensure that we treat others with respect.
 PEACE: Online Hate and Fake
News in Social Media

No technology has been

weaponized at such an
unprecedented global scale as
social media. With just a click on our
phones or laptop keyboards, anyone
can perpetuate the sharing of fake
news and amplification of hate
speech.
 PEACE: Online Hate and Fake
News in Social Media

Fake news is generated by outlets

that masquerade as actual media
sites but promulgate false or
misleading accounts designed to
deceive the public. These
disinformation campaigns have the
potential to disrupt humanitarian
efforts and responses.
 How

the COVID -19 Has PEACE: Online Hate and Fake

Hindered the News in Social Media
Achievement of SDG 16

Everyone has a responsibility to combat the scourge of fake news.

This ranges from evaluating news sources and improving digital
literacy among the general public. News consumers have to keep
their guard up and understand that not everything they read is
accurate and many digital sites specialize in false news. Learning
how to judge news sites and protect oneself from inaccurate
information is a high priority in the digital age.
 How
JUSTICE:
the COVID -19 Has
Sexual and Gender-Based
Hindered the

Achievement of SDG 16 Violence

"Gender violence“ includes domestic violence, rape, trafficking

in women and girls, forced prostitution, and violence in armed
conflict, such as murder, systematic rape, sexual slavery and
forced pregnancy. Violence against women occurs when the
rights of women are violated, such as when women are physically
injured, raped, beaten, held captive, or forced to work or provide
services against their will.
 How
JUSTICE:
the COVID -19 Has
Sexual and Gender-Based
Hindered the

Achievement of SDG 16 Violence

The compounding effects of lockdowns and broader pandemic

conditions facilitate violence and reduce victims’ ability to report
incidents or seek help. There are three avenues contributing to more
violence and less support during the COVID-19 pandemic: (1)
increased exposure to perpetrators due to lockdown orders and
care responsibilities, (2) triggering stressful environments for
perpetrators and (3) reduced support services.
 How
JUSTICE:
the COVID -19 Has
Sexual and Gender-Based
Hindered the

Achievement of SDG 16 Violence

1. Increased exposure to perpetrators

While the lockdowns or stay-at-home orders the governments has

imposed are necessary to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus,
they limit women’s ability to escape domestic violence.
 How
JUSTICE:
the COVID -19 Has
Sexual and Gender-Based
Hindered the

Achievement of SDG 16 Violence

2. Triggers for perpetrators

The COVID-19 pandemic is straining the world’s economy as

unemployment figures rise worldwide. Job loss leads to financial
and psychological stress. Feeling as though there is no way to
control the pandemic, or even the household’s financial situation
can provoke assertion of power through violence.
 How
JUSTICE:
the COVID -19 Has
Sexual and Gender-Based
Hindered the

Achievement of SDG 16 Violence

3. Limited support

Access to support, security and legal services is severely reduced.

Not all governments designated women's support centers as
essential, leading to a decrease in the number of centers open to
receive victims fleeing their homes.
 How
JUSTICE: The Widening Gap
the COVID -19 Has
Between the
Hindered the

Achievement of SDG 16 Rich and the Marginalized

The COVID-19 pandemic is hitting the poor the hardest and

exposing the gaping inequities in access to food, shelter, and health
care. Many people can’t get to their jobs. Those in the transport
sector have lost their source of income. In effect, the gap between
the elites and the marginalized has only increased.
 How
JUSTICE: The Widening Gap
the COVID -19 Has
Between the
Hindered the

Achievement of SDG 16 Rich and the Marginalized

The wealthy can retreat to their comfortable homes, with food

stocks to last them months, whereas our less fortunate citizens are
out in the streets, getting caught by police for not following the law.
 How
SOCIAL
the COVID -19 Has
INSTITUTIONS: COVID-19 as a
Hindered the

Achievement of SDG 16 Test of National Leadership

The world witnessed how the COVID-19 pandemic put to test not
only leadership at the global level but also political leadership at the
domestic level. No country is fully prepared for epidemics or
pandemics and that most countries lack foundational health
systems capacities vital for epidemic and pandemic response, for
example, to prevent, detect, and respond to significant infectious
disease outbreaks.
 How
SOCIAL
the COVID -19 Has
INSTITUTIONS: COVID-19 as a
Hindered the

Achievement of SDG 16 Test of National Leadership

The world witnessed how the COVID-19 pandemic put to test not
only leadership at the global level but also political leadership at the
domestic level. No country is fully prepared for epidemics or
pandemics and that most countries lack foundational health
systems capacities vital for epidemic and pandemic response, for
example, to prevent, detect, and respond to significant infectious
disease outbreaks.
 How

the COVID -19 Has Who is COVID-19 harming, how

Hindered the and why?
Achievement of SDG 16

It is the poor and vulnerable who are severely affected. Yet the poor
and the vulnerable in our societies are not only at greater risk from
the virus itself, they are most severely affected by the negative
impacts of measures to control it.

Those employed in the informal sector, disproportionately women,

have little recourse to social protection or unemployment
assistance.
 COVID -19 is undermining

sustainable development at

a time in which efforts need to

be accelerated to implement

the Sustainable

Development Goals .
 The instability and fear that the
pandemic causes is intensifying
The COVID-19 crisis is
existing social injustice and human
highlighting deep economic
rights concerns, such as
inequalities and social injustices
discrimination against certain
and inadequate health and social
groups, hate speech, social
protection systems that require
inequality, and sexual and gender-
urgent attention as part of the
based violence, as well as limited
public health response.
access to education and social
services.
We need to work with our

government and at the same

time hold it accountable . The

government and our communities

must respond to threats and

crises in a way that puts people

at the center .
This is not a time to neglect human rights

and freedoms ;
 it is a time when , more

than ever , human rights are needed to

navigate this crisis in a way that will

allow us , as soon as possible , to focus

again on achieving equitable sustainable

development and sustaining peace .

 - Read reliable and trustworthy
Rising to the
newspaper articles and listen to news.
Challenge of COVID-19
- Know your rights.
- Talk with someone who doesn’t
share your political views.
- Watch documentaries.
- Attend a discussion or event in
your community or school about an
issue you want to know more about.
Open Mind
- Use your social media
accounts to post uplifting information
relevant to making our
society more civil.
 Rising to the
Challenge of COVID-19

- Offer a listening heart to the

indigents and the vulnerable.
- Make your social media account a
safe space.
- Emphatize. Place
Open Heart yourself in the shoes of others.
 Rising to the
Challenge of COVID-19 - Make sure you’re registered to vote.
- Make a voting pact with your
friends or family.
- Choose your advocacy and be an
advocate.
- Join an organization. Take a lead.
- Spearhead a project.
Open Will - Attend a workshop
- Help others in an emergency.
- Volunteer!
 , ,
37% ,
We the youth may

100 % . ,
only be of our population but

’ . ’
we are of our future So

2021
Let s make a deal Let s all make

,
sure that in we will show the

country or our world

.
even what it means to be a

volunteer
 !
Thank you

Have a great
weekend!
 Let's connect!

FB: Arvhie Email: IG:

Santos arvhiesantos19 @art.emis_
@gmail.com