Updates on Coronavirus – COVID-19
If you’d like to share your story on how you, your organization, or your community are coping with COVID-19, please send an email to coadycom@stfx.ca.
Alumni updates
Alumni Voice – COVID-19: A Threat to Decent Work and the Law in Ghana
With an increase in the number of novel coronavirus cases in Ghana, the country continues to witness a surge in people’s vulnerabilities and a recorded increase in inequalities between and amongst people of different classes, status, gender and especially workers in the labor market.
Alumni Voice – COVID-19: Rights Awareness through Virtual and Media Engagement (Nigeria)
One of the challenges in Nigeria’s democratic governance process is the lack of depth of public knowledge on reformed criminal justice laws in Nigeria. Due to government policies banning public gatherings and the need for physical distancing, PWAN has had to re-strategize by converting all its awareness programs to radio-based programs.
Alumni Voice – Citizen’s Pulse: A National Survey on COVID-19 (Nepal)
After one week of lockdown in Nepal, Sharecast took the initiative to launch a nationwide survey in order to understand citizens’ knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) regarding COVID-19. The findings are being used by frontline responders, and to design messages and choose channels for advocacy-related work.
Alumni Voice – COVID-19: Rethinking Emergency Preparedness and Response (Cameroon)
The COVID-19 outbreak coincided with three critical situations in Cameroon: an ongoing internal war, the rumoured death of the president, and a questionable reconstruction program for homeless war victims whereas the military and armed groups are still fighting. Having faced six consecutive years of intense political crises and now adding a health crisis, I am concerned about Cameroon’s emergency management strategy.
Alumni Voice – Advocating for Women’s Inclusion in COVID-19 Response (Ghana)
As a national women’s rights network, NETRIGHT has issued two statements calling on the government to ensure COVID-19 interventions are responsive to the needs of the poor, including homeless women and the vulnerable in society. Also, NETRIGHT mobilised funds among women groups which has been donated to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) in Ghana to support its efforts in reaching out to vulnerable and homeless women and children.
Alumni Voice – Engaging Community in Response to COVID-19 (Ethiopia)
Generally, in Ethiopia the side effects of COVID-19 have been more serious than the health-related challenges caused by the virus itself. This encompasses political, economic, socio-cultural, and psycho-social harms as well as legal disruptions caused by the virus.
Alumni Voice – Channels for Children’s and Youth’s Voice in Mombasa’s COVID-19 Response (Kenya)
In Mombasa, Kenya, organizations have decided to work together to address various children’s issues in the advent of COVID-19. The Mombasa County Child Rights Network (MCRN) is composed of organizations working for and with children. As a network we are focusing on child protection as a major governance issue, and are enabling children to participate, speak out, and create messages on COVID-19 to the world.
Alumni Voice – Land Rights Advocacy in COVID-19 Response (Nepal)
The Community Self-Reliance Centre (CSRC) has been facilitating land and agrarian issues in Nepal and working with landless and smallholder peasants since 1994. CSRC published an article on the effects of COVID-19 on agriculture and on landless and smallholder groups.
Alumni Voice – Social Enterprise Shifts to PPE Production amidst Lockdown (India)
At the local level many civic hospitals in Gohdra, India are only able to supply doctors and surgeons with PPE. Saheli fills the gap here, providing masks to nurses, cleaning staff, and other essential workers in these hospitals.
Alumni Voice – Coronavirus Pandemic and Employment: Protecting Women’s Right to Work (Ghana)
With women’s employment mostly at the bottom of the supply chain and informal sectors characterized by precariousness and lower wages, the COVID-19 pandemic is not gender-neutral. It, therefore, demands gender-sensitive responses and interventions by various actors.
Coady Updates
Message from Anthony Scoggins, Director Education Programs
The world continues to struggle with the Covid-19 (novel coronavirus) pandemic. As I write these words, many countries are now slowly re-opening after extended periods of lockdown, but the number of active cases continues to grow with new ‘hot spots’ emerging around the globe. In these circumstances, international travel remains hugely problematic. In Canada, all incoming visitors and returning citizens are obliged to socially isolate upon arrival for 14 days before entering any public spaces....
Governance Snapshots: Adaptations, Innovations and Practitioner Learning in a Time of COVID-19
For many graduates of Coady International Institute, the pandemic and the measures put in place in response have led to adaptive and innovative ways to continue to work with citizens and communities. A small group among these graduates – from Nepal, Ethiopia, Kenya, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Ghana – come together to share how they are coping as governance practitioners working through the pandemic.
Stories of Community Resilience and Entrepreneurship during Global Pandemic
An expert in Inclusive Economies has begun sharing experiences of the Global South during the Covid-19 pandemic in a series of essays entitled Stories of Community Resilience and Entrepreneurship. Written by Coady Institute’s Yogesh Ghore, the essays examine innovative solutions being developed by Coady graduates, partners, and others in the Global South. Ghore has worked internationally supporting economic development in South and Southeast Asia, Africa, North America and the Caribbean.
Op-ed: 20 Million Face Masks
As the world responds to the Covid-19 pandemic, a pressing and immediate issue is the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the front-line health workers who are working to save the lives of others. Facemasks are an essential part of the PPE. The answer is coming from an unusual and unexpected place: poor women, most of whom are living in the rural economy, and probably never heard of such masks before.
Op-ed: What’s in Your Basket?
The current pandemic has caused significant disruptions in the supply chain of food across the world. The stories of community innovation in times of crisis, as highlighted here present an opportunity to look at the role of citizens in shaping their own development beyond the current crisis.
Message from the Director of Education Programs
Given the nature of this unprecedented crisis, with the closure of international borders, termination of international flights, and general economic downturn, we have had to make some immediate and difficult decisions about the Institute’s 2020 course offerings.
Message from our Executive Director
As communities around the world face the Covid-19 (novel coronavirus) pandemic, I want you to know, on behalf of Coady Institute and St. Francis Xavier University Extension, that each and every one of you is in our thoughts during this time of great uncertainty. The ongoing spread of COVID-19 is affecting all of our communities, leading to changes in our daily lives that few of us could have imagined only a week or two ago.
Postponement: Global Change Leaders
Dear Women Leaders, The world as we know it has been overturned by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of our countries are in various states of curfew and lockdown and all of us are being encouraged by local, national and global health authorities to significantly change our behaviours in response to the Coronavirus. From Coady Institute, we wish you all the very best in responding to this unprecedented crisis. We hope you can all keep healthy and will continue to support the most vulnerable in your...
Postponement: Leadership for Citizen-Led Development
In response to the ongoing COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) pandemic, many countries are currently in various states of lockdown and all of us are being encouraged by local, national, and global health authorities to significantly change our personal and organizational behaviours in response to the pandemic. Coady Institute has concluded that in current circumstances, the most responsible and prudent decision is to cancel or postpone all institute courses scheduled for our Antigonish campus from...
Coronavirus – COVID19 update
Coady Institute and StFX University are following the developments of COVID-19. All organizational travel has been suspended until further notice. We will continue to provide updates, including impacts on educational program offerings, as the situation evolves. You can stay up to date on university announcements on this topic at www.stfx.ca/coronavirus. Canadian updates can be found here: https://www.canada.ca/…/d…/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html. For information in your region, we recommend...
ABOUT CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19)
COVID-19 is an illness caused by a coronavirus. Human coronaviruses are common and are typically associated with mild illnesses, similar to the common cold. Symptoms of human coronaviruses may be very mild or more serious, such as fever, cough, or difficulty breathing. Symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to the virus. Coronaviruses are most commonly spread from an infected person through:
- respiratory droplets when you cough or sneeze
- close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
- touching something with the virus on it, then touching your eyes, nose or mouth before washing your hands
These viruses are not known to spread through ventilation systems or through water.
REDUCE THE RISK: PREVENTION TIPS
The Nova Scotia Government has produced a comprehensive list of tips and best practice actions you can do to reduce the likelihood of catching or spreading the virus. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the entire list, but some key actions include:
- Wash your hands on a regular basis. Wash using soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, taking extra care to ensure you clean all areas of your hands. If no soap or water is available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Use enough to cover the fronts and backs of both hands and between all fingers.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Use cough and sneeze etiquette. Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or into your elbow.
- Maintain an appropriate ‘personal space.’ Position yourself at least 6-feet away from other people.
- Avoid unnecessary travel. Stay up to date regarding travel advisories by checking the Government of Canada travel advisories.
- If you’re feeling sick, stay home. Don’t put yourself or others at further risk.
You can also stay informed. The Government of Nova Scotia and the Government of Canada are excellent resources for information on COVID-19.
TRAVEL
- All faculty and staff non-personal travel to countries for which the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has issued a travel health notice related to COVID-19 at any risk level (1-4 inclusive) is prohibited.
- All academically-related student travel to any international destination is prohibited
- All StFX students, faculty and staff who have travelled internationally as of Friday, March 13, 2020 are to impose a 14-day self-isolation protocol before they can return to campus. Upon returning to Canada, all travelers should monitor their health for fever, cough and difficulty breathing for 14 days. If you have these symptoms, contact your local public health authority (811 in Nova Scotia) immediately. This applies to all StFX students, faculty and staff who were outside of Canada, whether for university or personal travel, as of Friday March 13, 2020.
- If you are planning personal travel, you are encouraged to stay informed of Global Affairs Canada travel advisories. You should also check your travel insurance coverage to understand what will and will not be covered at your destination should you become ill – especially if a travel advisory is issued for your destination while you are still there.
RESOURCES
Government of Canada Public Health
Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness (Public Health)