Women healthcare professionals' experiences and needs regarding the COVID-19 pandemic from a gender perspective.

BACKGROUND: Accounting for 70% of healthcare workers worldwide, and 56% in Turkey, women continue to be the frontline fighters in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. Their needs may be overlooked as a result of their growing responsibilities both in their professional and private lives. This descriptive study aimed at identifying the gendered needs and experiences of women healthcare workers in Turkey throughout the pandemic. METHOD: This study consists of 1082 healthcare professionals' responses of various positions across several provinces and facilities, collected through a web-based survey of 50 questions. RESULTS: Almost all participants (94%) expressed feeling anxious over the pandemic regardless of their working units. Four out of ten (38%) respondents noted working for 41 h or more on average weekly, and most of the participants who worked for long hours were assigned in COVID-19 units. Non-clinical personnel reported less difficulty in work/life balance. 64% of the respondents reported not having gone through any training on COVID-19, and eight out of ten (81%) said they had information needs. Research findings suggest that 92% of participants' needs remained unmet. While 74% of the respondents pointed out not having an income that is worthwhile, 72% referred to the need for psychosocial support, 58% need for support in domestic work and 37% support for child care as their primary needs. CONCLUSION: Results of the research highlighted the gendered needs of women healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic, and disseminate protective and preventive health policies and practices through a gender responsive approach.

"They taught us not only our rights as women, but also how to live." Gender-based violence and empowerment experiences of Syrian women in Turkey and the role of women and girls safe spaces: A qualitative study.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a women rights violation, particularly during humanitarian crises. Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS) were opened within a project, where refugee women work and receive gender-sensitive services. The researchers aim to reveal the GBV exposure and empowerment experiences of Syrian refugee women in Ankara and WGSS' role. In-depth interviews were conducted with 26 health mediators working at WGSS. The findings obtained through thematic analysis revealed four main themes: changing forms of GBV during migration, learning women's rights as a means of resistance to GBV, experiences of women's working lives and empowerment, and changing gender roles.