CITIZEN JOURNALISM

Women Headed of Families in Banda Aceh Have Difficulty Accessing Covid-19 Social Assistance

By Irma Sari

BANDA ACEH, KEMITRAAN – As breadwinners and household managers, women heads of families in Banda Aceh City have been greatly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, they have difficulty accessing Covid-19 social assistance, which is a government program to accelerate economic recovery amidst the pandemic.

"I am a female head of a family who does not have access to social assistance from the government. In fact, our orphaned children do not receive assistance either," said Rosdiana, a resident of Batoh Village, Banda Aceh City, in early January 2022. Rosdiana is a female head of a family who works as an online trader. Her income is unpredictable every month, so Rosdiana has to ask her family for help to meet her daily needs. Moreover, his three children are still in high school and elementary school.

Nova, the female head of a family in Punge Village, Banda Aceh City, said that in her area only people close to the village head receive social assistance. “I asked about social assistance to keuchik (village head), why don't I, as a widow, get any social assistance from the government. "In fact, I don't have a permanent job and have 2 children," he said.

Nova, who is also the leader of the Aceh Inong Alliance, an organization that focuses on women, also carries out direct advocacy regarding this matter. Finally, Nova was able to get direct cash assistance (BLT) from the village government which was directly transferred to her account in the amount of IDR 300,000 from January to December 2021.

Another female head of family in Ateuk Pahlawan Village, Banda Aceh City, Maya Sari, also finds it difficult to face the Covid-19 pandemic. Maya gets a pension every month from her late husband, who was a civil servant (PNS), amounting to IDR 1,000,000. However, these funds are not enough to meet the needs of one daughter who studies at the Tahfiz school in the city of Banda Aceh.

'I was directly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, but I did not receive Covid social assistance (bansos) or other social assistance from the government. In fact, during the Covid-19 pandemic I had to take extra care of my health so my needs increased. "I have to buy hand sanitizer, masks and vitamins," said Maya, who has been head of the family for 13 years.

In Ateuk Pahlawan Village, Banda Aceh, data on Covid-19 social assistance recipients comes from the central government. Social assistance is divided into two, namely from the Ministry of Social Affairs and social assistance allocated from gampong funds (Village funds).

"The social assistance data from the Ministry (Social) already has data, we can't mess with it anymore. Meanwhile, social assistance from village funds is intended for people affected by Covid-19. We don't see whether the head of the family is male or female," said the Head of Service Affairs at the Office of Keuchik Ateuk Pahlawan Banda Aceh, Fitri.

In a short interview with Mr. Devi Riansyah, A.KS.M.Si, Secretary of the Aceh Province Social Service, on January 10 2022 in Banda Aceh,  He explained that social assistance is distributed evenly to all communities affected by Covid-19. People who have received social assistance, such as Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT) and the Family Hope Program (PKH), will no longer receive Covid-19 social assistance. This is done so that assistance is distributed evenly to all communities affected by Covid-19. However, there is no distinction for female heads of families as social assistance recipients.

Regarding the unequal distribution of Covid-19 social assistance, the Government should go directly to the field to check the distribution of social assistance, especially to affected residents, such as female heads of families. "Covid-19 social assistance should not be given to people who are close to village officials. The government must also prioritize women heads of families. They are vulnerable to being affected by poverty, especially during the pandemic," said Nova.