Governance, GS 2, TLP-UPSC Mains Answer Writing
1. How did Covid exacerbate the vulnerabilities of some sections of the society? Explain with the help of suitable examples. (10 Marks)
कोविड ने समाज के कुछ वर्गों की कमजोरियों को कैसे बढ़ा दिया? उपयुक्त उदाहरणों की सहायता से स्पष्ट कीजिए।
Approach-
Candidates need to write about the vulnerable section in the society. And then highlight how due to the pandemic there difficulties got exacerbated with help of suitable examples.
Introduction
The vulnerable groups which are exposed to their vulnerabilities during COVID-19 pandemic are- Women, Children, Students, Aged, Disabled, Poor migrants, unorganised sectors workers, People living with ailments and Sexual Minorities. The COVID-19 pandemic affected these vulnerable sections of population differently.
Body
- While children’s health appears less impacted by COVID-19 than older adults, children’s education are interrupted, protective structures disrupted and their families and communities placed under stress by health and economic burdens.
- COVID-19 pandemic, increased girls’ and young women’s duties caring for elderly and ill family members, as well as for siblings who are out of school.
- Girls, especially those from marginalised communities and with disabilities, may be particularly affected by the secondary impacts of the outbreak. It also put at women at greater risk of exploitation, child labour and gender-based violence.
- The impact on older adults is notable. According to World Health Organization (WHO) data from April 2020, more than 95% of COVID-19 deaths were among people over 60 years of age, and more than half of all deaths occurred in people of 80 years-plus.
- One of the most important problem we encountered was that the overburdened cities and containment which made migrant workers to walk for there home.
- The risk of contagious diseases was more potent urban slums these areas as residents also suffer from a lack of basic services such as safe drinking water and sanitation.
- With respect to Indian economy, It lost 124 million jobs in March and April, primarily in the informal sectors comprising small traders and wage labourers; employment was also lower in self-owned businesses and salaried employees, too, lost jobs.
Conclusion
Hence, we can say that COVID-19 pandemic’s impact differs in its scale in different sections of people. But, the most affected one’s are the people who belonged to the vulnerable section of population. As ensuring the healthcare and providing adequate means of livelihood for all is one of the responsibility of the government. Poor people and migrant workers can’t be left outside this ambit.
