Browsing by Author "Shubham Kumar Sanu"

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From Adversity to Unity: Women, Pandemic, and Social Solidarity
(Springer Science+Business Media, 2025) Maya Kumari; Pushpanjali Kumari; Shubham Kumar Sanu
The global pandemic in 2020 brought unprecedented challenges, particularly affecting vulnerable populations. As countries implemented lockdowns to curb the spread of the virus, the repercussions were profound, forcing many, especially the economically disadvantaged, to return to their homes, grappling with uncertainties surrounding life and livelihood. This period highlighted the struggles of women, often regarded as the backbone of society, through media narratives showcasing the plight of migrant women facing dire conditions. This study delves into the multifaceted challenges confronted by women during the pandemic and explores the role of social solidarity in empowering them to navigate these hardships. Drawing on existing studies and research, the research sheds light on critical issues such as education dropout, economic crises, direct and indirect health concerns (with a significant impact on maternal health), food scarcity, increased workload, and various forms of violence against women. Notably, violence against women emerged as a parallel pandemic, exacerbating the challenges faced by women during this tumultuous time. While media reports and institutional studies amplified the voices of these women, ground-level reports painted a stark reality of worsened conditions, violence, and human rights violations. In a notable contrast, where government interventions often fell short, the resilience and mutual support among women and the community became a source of strength. This study underscores how social solidarity became a protective force, ensuring numerous women’s rights, safety, and fear-free existence within their communities. A comparative analysis between rural and urban societies reveals disparities in social solidarity, with the latter often lacking the cohesive support observed in rural communities. Consequently, women in urban areas found themselves confronting not only the viral pandemic but also a parallel crisis stemming from the dearth of social solidarity. This study is an attempt to highlight the impact of violence faced by women during a pandemic and the role of government. Further, this study also aims to examine the role of social solidarity in adverse situations. © 2025 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.