COVID-19 is largely seen as a public health concern. Socioeconomic disparities such as poverty, literacy, access to gender responsive public services (health care, education,livelihood, and protection), cultural beliefs, gender and social norms, and access to information are not factored into analyses of the impact of the virus or within the lockdown measures. These factors not only increase exposure, but also exacerbate the challenges for women, girls, and marginalized populations in having to travel, sometimes long distance to access services, information, and means of sustaining their livelihood..
ActionAid has closely been following information and cases around security personnel interpreting lockdown penalties, though vague, into their own understanding, and enforcing them as they see fit, which often have resulted in the use of excessive force, violence, and exploitation of victims.