Impact Covid 19 on Women Womanist Linguistic Analysis

L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES i Actes du Colloque – Novembre 2021 L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES ACTES des Premières Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques (en visioconférence) 26 – 27 mai 2021 Thème : L’enseignement et la Recherche dans le contexte de la COVID-19 : Nécessité d’une redéfinition de stratégies SOUS LE PARRAINNAGE DE PROFESSEUR PLACIDE CLEDJO, DIRECTEUR DE L’ECOLE DOCTORALE PLURIDISCIPLINAIRE « ESPACES, CULTURES ET DEVELOPPEMENT» DE L’UNIVERSITE D’ABOMEY-CALAVI et de PROFESSEUR OKRI PASCAL TOSSOU, DOYEN DE LA FACULTE DES LETTRES, LANGUES, ARTS ET COMMUNICATION (FLLAC) DE L’UNIVERSITE D’ABOMEY-CALAVI 1. Contexte et justification La pandémie de la COVID-19 a indubitablement induit des changements radicaux et profonds dans nos habitudes de vie et dans nos relations interpersonnelles. Pour contenir cette pandémie, la plupart des pays ont adopté des stratégies de confinement total ou partiel, de couvre-feu ou de restrictions dans les déplacements de personnes. Les regards sont désormais tournés vers les écoles et universités en raison de leur forte implication dans la recherche et l’éducation, la formation et la socialisation de la personne humaine. Plusieurs écoles et centres de formation ont été fermés, des congés et vacances scolaires/universitaires ont été anticipés et la reprise n’a eu lieu que timidement. En raison de cette pandémie, le monde de l’éducation en général et celui de l’enseignement supérieur en particulier connaissent actuellement de grands bouleversements en termes de comment trouver les meilleures méthodologies et stratégies d’enseignement-apprentissage qui conviennent aux directives d’endiguement du virus qui a déjà, faut-il le rappeler, contaminé ou tué de Premières Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques du Labo GRAD ii L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES millions de personnes dans le monde. La massification des effectifs dans les formations universitaires classiques telles que les lettres, les langues, les sciences juridiques, les sciences économiques et de gestion, les sciences physiques, les sciences mathématiques et biologiques font craindre une contamination accrue si le virus venait à s’introduire dans nos amphithéâtres. Heureusement, la vie continue malgré tout et l’enseignement et la recherche dans nos universités et centres de formation le doivent aussi pour assumer la postérité et la prospérité intellectuelles et économique aussi bien que le développement de nos pays. Il s’établit alors une crainte objective par rapport au respect des gestes barrières établis dans nos universités et centres de formations au regard des grands rassemblements en raison du manque d’infrastructures dans certains de nos lieux de formation. Un changement de paradigme dans la formation et la recherche s’avère donc nécessaire. Plusieurs méthodes de recherche et stratégies pédagogiques aux moyens des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication (TIC) ont été innovées. Il s’agit désormais de l’introduction et de la formation au E- teaching/learning, des cours à distance, de la redynamisation des Massive Online Open Courses (MOOC), de l’utilisation des réseaux sociaux comme canal de transmission du savoir, etc. En matière de recherche, les rencontres scientifiques, autrefois organisées en présentiel sont de plus en plus virtuelles avec l’utilisation des outils tels que Zoom, Google meet, Mocrosoft team, etc. comme moyens d’interaction. Les difficultés rencontrées dans la mise en œuvre des stratégies et méthodes d’enseignement en période de la COVID-19 amènent les enseignants- chercheurs et chercheurs à repenser la recherche et la pédagogie universitaires pour ne pas briser la chaîne de la transmission du savoir dans l’espoir que la vie redevienne normale dans les jours à venir. Les Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques sont donc l’occasion d’explorer les synergies actuelles en termes de pratiques d’enseignement et de recherche pour une meilleure adaptabilité. 2. Objectifs 2.1.Objectif général Ces Journées d’Etudes visent à susciter des réflexions et partage d’expériences chez les enseignants-chercheurs et chercheurs sur les meilleures approches et stratégies à adopter ou à expérimenter pour un enseignement supérieur inclusif iii Actes du Colloque – Novembre 2021 L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES et respectueux du droit des étudiants à un enseignement de qualité d’une part, aussi bien que la réorientation de la recherche en cette période critique de la pandémie de la COVID-19, d’autre part. 2.2.Objectifs spécifiques Il s’agit pour les participants de : - - - mener des réflexions dans le sens des conduites à tenir pour des cours en ligne réussis dans leurs matières respectives ; partager les expériences et expertises de l’utilisation des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication comme support de transmission du savoir ; analyser de façon critique la problématique de recherche et de l’enseignement/apprentissage des langues dans un système de cours à distance. Conduire des activités de recherche en ligne, seul(e) ou en équipe. 3. Comité d’organisation Président : Dr (MC) Innocent Sourou KOUTCHADE Organisateurs : Dr (MC) Ferdinand KPOHOUE Dr (MC) Yémalo Célestin AMOUSSOU Dr (MC) Célestin GBAGUIDI Membres Dr (MC) Vincent ATABAVIKPO Dr (MC) Raphaël YEBOU Dr (MC) Moufoutaou ADJERAN Dr (MC) Antoine HOUNHOUENOU Dr (MC) Germain SAGBO Dr (MA) Ulrich ǯȱǯȱHINDEME Dr (MA) Raoul AHOUANGANSI Premières Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques du Labo GRAD iv L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES Dr (MA) Etienne K. IWIKOTAN Dr (MA) Servais AKPACA Dr (MA) Fortuné AZON Dr (MA) Marius SOHOUDE Dr (MA) Fernand NOUWLIGBETO Dr (MA) Flavien Dossou LANMANTCHION Dr (MA) Hergie Alexis SEGUEDEME Dr (MA) Théophile HOUNDJO Dr (MA) André DATONDJI Dr (MA) Bertin DANSOU Dr (MA) Viviane HOUNHANOU Dr (MA) Pédro Marius EGOUNLETI Dr (MA) Charles LIGAN Dr (MA) Basile MEDENOU Dr (MA) Codjo Timothée TOGBE Secrétariat Dr Raoul AHOUANGANSI Dr Corneille TEBA Dr Servais DADJO Dr Martinien TOBOULA Dr Crépin LOKO Dr Roger HOUMASSE Dr Evariste KOTTIN Dr Joiny TOWASSELO Dr Casimir SOEDE Dr Nathalie AGUESSI Dr Caroline BODJRENOU Dr Béatrice M’PO Dr Pascal AMALY Dr Alain ASSOGBA Dr Franck AMOUSSOU Comité de lecture Dr Mouftaou ADJERAN v Actes du Colloque – Novembre 2021 L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES Dr Rissikatou MOUSTAPHA Dr Etienne IWIKOTAN Dr Ulrich HINDEME Dr Charles LIGAN Dr Marius SOHOUDE Dr Flavien LANMANTCHION Dr Idrissou YERIMA ZIME Dr Juvénale PATINVOH Dr Abraham OLOU Dr Marcellin HOUNZANGBE Dr Daniel YOKOSSI Dr Ashani Michel DOSSOUMOU Dr Albert O. KOUKPOSSI Dr Romain D. HOUNZANDJI Appui technique Dr Albert Omolégbé KOUKPOSSI Dr Charles LIGAN Dr Coffi Martinien ZOUNHIN TOBOULA Dr Roger HOUMASSE 4. Comité Scientifique International Professeur Maxime da CRUZ, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Professeur Placide CLEDJO, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Professeur Pascal Okri TOSSOU, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Professeur Augustin AINAMON, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Professeur Flavien GBETO , Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Professeur Akanni M. IGUE , Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Professeur Dominique BADA, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Professeur Léonard A. KOUSSOUHON, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Professeur Odile DOSSOU GUEDEGBE, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Professeur Euloge OGOUWALE, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Professeur Patrick Y. HOUESSOU, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Professeur Souleymane FAYE, Université Cheik Anta Diop, Sénégal Premières Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques du Labo GRAD vi L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES Professeur Mamadou DRAME, Université Cheik Anta Diop, Sénégal Professeur Mbacké DIAGNE, Université Cheik Anta Diop, Sénégal Professeur Komla NUBUPO, Université de Lomé, Togo Professeur Essowè Komla ESSIZEWA, Université de Lomé, Togo Professeur Atafei PEWISSI, Université de Lomé, Togo Professeur Laure-Clémence C. ZANOU, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Professeur Estelle B. MINAFLINOU, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Professeur Julien GBAGUIDI, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Professeur Coffi SAMBIENI, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Professeur Mensah W. TOKPONTON, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Professeur Ibouraima YABI, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Professeur Abou-Bakari IMOROU, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Professeur Roch A. HOUNGNIHIN, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Zorobi Philipe TOH (Université Alassane Ouattara, Côte-d’Ivoire Dr (MC) Euloge AKODJETIN, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Jean-Euloge GBAGUIDI, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Vincent ATABAVIKPO, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Raphael YEBOU, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Florentine A. HOUEDENOU, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Coffi Bertin YEHOUENOU, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Patrice AKOGBETO, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Rogatien TOSSOU, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Sylvie de CHACUS, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Monique OUASSA-KOUARO, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Constant KPAO SARE, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Innocent Sourou KOUTCHADE, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Yémalo Célestin AMOUSSOU, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Cyr Gervais ETENE, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Bosson BRA DJÉRÉDOU, Université Felix-Houphouët Boigny, Côte d’Ivoire Dr (MC) Nékoua P. Joseph SAHGUI, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Charles Lambert BABADJIDE, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Fidèle SOSSOUVI, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Simplice AGOSSAVI, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Florentine S. AGBOT ON, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin vii Actes du Colloque – Novembre 2021 L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES Dr (MC) Samuel DJENGUE, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Zorobi Philipe TOH, Université Alassane Ouattara, Côte-d’Ivoire Dr (MC) Moufoutaou ADJERAN, Université d’Abomey-Calavi Dr (MC) Ferdinand KPOHOUE, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Célestin GBAGUIDI, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin Dr (MC) Ibrahim YEKINI, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin 5. Présentation des contributions Structure du texte - Le titre : il doit être succinct, précis, en majuscule et en gras. - Le résumé : Les manuscrits doivent comporter un résumé de 150 à 200 mots au maximum en français-anglais, espagnole-anglais ou allemand- anglais, avec cinq mots-clés dans les deux langues choisies. Chaque résumé doit être rédigé suivant le plan ci-après : objectifproblème-méthode- résultats. - L’introduction - L’organisation du texte : l’organisation du texte suivra la subdivision en sections et sous-sections à l’aide des chiffres arabes: 1. (Section) 1.1 (sous-section) 1.2 (sous-section) 1.2.1 (subdivision de la sous-section) 1.2.2 (subdivision de la sous-section) - La conclusion - Les références bibliographiques Mise en page : Format A4; Marges = 2,5 cm (haut, bas, droite, gauche); Reliure = 0,50 cm; Style normal (pour le corps de texte) : Police Palatino linotype 12 points, sans couleurs, sans attributs (gras et italiques sont acceptés pour des mises en relief); paragraphe justifié, pas de retrait, pas d'espacement, interligne simple. Premières Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques du Labo GRAD viii L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES Titre de l'article : Police Palatino linotype 14 points, sans couleurs, en lettres majuscules, gras; paragraphe aligné à droite, pas de retrait, espacement après = 18 points, pas de retrait de première ligne, interligne simple. Titre 1 : Palatino linotype 12 points, sans couleurs, gras; paragraphe gauche, pas de retrait de première ligne, interligne simple. Titre 2 : Palatino linotype 12 points, sans couleurs, gras; paragraphe gauche, interligne simple. Titre 3 : Palatino linotype 12 points, sans couleurs, gras; paragraphe gauche, interligne simple. Citations dans le document Les références des citations doivent être présentées selon les normes de l’American Psychological Association (APA). Toute citation de plus de 40 mots (3 lignes) doit : - être mise en retrait et sans guillemets - avoir une taille de police réduite (10) et interligne simple. Les références de citations dans le texte (et non sous forme de notes de bas de page) se présentent comme suit : Lorsque le nom du ou des auteurs fait partie du texte, la date de publication est indiquée entre parenthèses suivies de la (des) page(s) citée(s). Exemples :  En effet, selon Avoce (2018, p. 201): «…» en français, et ‘‘….’’ en langues germaniques Lorsque l’auteur reste anonyme jusqu’à la fin de la citation, tous les éléments de références sont mis entre parenthèses après celle-ci selon le schéma: Nom de l’Auteur, (année de publication, page(s) citée(s)): Exemple :  Comme le soutient l’Ecole Fonctionnaliste, la langue est structurée pour exprimer trois significations importantes (Halliday, 1985, p.27). Si le même auteur a fait paraître deux ouvrages ou articles la même année, citer le nom de l’auteur suivi de l’année d’édition et de la lettre ‘a’ pour le premier article, ‘b’ pour le second, etc. Les références comportant plus de trois auteurs utiliseront la forme et al. après le nom du premier auteur, par exemple Koussouhon et al, (2014, p .40). Quant aux travaux acceptés pour publication, ils seront marqués ‘sous presse’ ou à paraître’. ix Actes du Colloque – Novembre 2021 L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES Références Bibliographiques Police Palatino linotype 12 points, en norme APA. Voici quelques exemples :  Livres Searle, J. R. (1976). A Classification of Illocutionary Acts. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Halliday, M. A. K., & Hasan, R. (1985). Language, Context, and Text: Aspects of Language in a Social-semiotic Perspective. Oxford: Oxford University Press.  Articles Sahgui, N.P. (2017). Représentation socioculturelle de la dot chez les Fulbés de la commune de Matéri. RESILAC : Revue des Sciences du Langage et de la Communication, 4(1), 392-412. Wenden, A.L. (1998). Metacognitive knowledge and language learning. Applied Linguistics, 19, 515-537. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/19.4.515 Premières Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques du Labo GRAD x L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES EDITEUR SCIENTIFIQUE Dr (MC) Innocent Sourou KOUTCHADE MISE EN PAGE Dr Codjo Claude Roger HOUMASSE Dr Albert Omolegbé KOUKPOSSI Université d’Abomey-Calavi MAQUETTE DE COUVERTURE Jacob ABIODOUN Millénium Media Concepts (00229) 97 544 078 IMPRIMERIE OGW Editions (00229) 97 338 997 [email protected] ISBN : 978-99982-64-63-2 Dépôt Légal N°13503 du 17/11/2021 Bibliothèque Nationale du Bénin, 4ème trimestre xi Actes du Colloque – Novembre 2021 L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES Sommaire ENSEIGNEMENT ET RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID 19 1. STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE USE OF WHATSAPP IN EFL CLASSES IN BENINESE NATIONAL UNIVERSITIES. Pédro Marius EGOUNLETI ------------------------------------------------------------ 1 2. FROM DONALD TRUMP TO JOE BIDEN: PSYCHO-SOCIAL AND SPIRITUAL MANAGEMENT OF COVID- 19. Anne Nathalie J. A. AGUESSY ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19 3. CONSTRUITS SOCIAUX A L’AUNE DE LA COVID 19 : POUR UNE RADIOSCOPIE DES FACTEURS DE RESISTANCE A PORTO NOVO. Pierrette HOUNDONOUGBO ------------------------------------------------------- 39 4. INVESTIGATING THE IMPACTS OF COVID-19 ON THE PRODUCTION OF SPEECH SOUNDS: A CASE STUDY OF FLASH ADJARRA (UNIVERSITY OF ABOMEY CALAVI). Servais Dieu-Donné Yédia DADJO & Amadou SALAMI -------------------------------------------------------------------- 49 5. MORPHOLOGICAL, ONOMASTIC AND CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF THE COVID-19 DISCOURSE IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA. Yémalo C. AMOUSSOU ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 63 6. ANALYSING WARLIKE DISCOURSE IN COVID-19 CONTROL INSTRUCTIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM: A LEXICOSEMANTIC PERSPECTIVE. Cocou André DATONDJI ---------------------------------------- 87 7. A PRAGMATIC AND SYSTEMIC FUNCTIONAL INQUIRY INTO COVID19 RELATED SPEECHES: VOICES FROM SOME AFRICAN PRESIDENTS. Ashani Michel DOSSOUMOU ----------------------------------------------------- 103 8. USING ICTs TO TEACH TRANSLATION STUDIES AND CARRY OUT RESEARCH AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC. Servais M. AKPACA ------------------------------------------------------------------ 133 9. INVESTIGATING THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASK WEARING IN COVID-19 CONTEXT ON EFFECTIVE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT IN BENINESE INTERMEDIATE EFL CLASSES: CASE STUDY OF SOME PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN AVRANKOU AREA. Sourou Corneille TEBA ---------------------------------- 149 Premières Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques du Labo GRAD xii L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES 10. ONLINE RESEARCH IN PHONETICS: A STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF WHATSAPP-BASED INSTRUCTION IN ENGLISH SPEECH SOUNDS ON BENIN EFL LEARNERS. Innocent Sourou KOUTCHADE, Amétépé F.O. DONNOU & Albert O. KOUKPOSSI -------------------------------------------- 169 11. A NEEDS ANALYSIS OF EFL SECOND YEAR MEDICAL SCHOOL STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITÉ DE ZINDER. Moussa TANKARI, Ayodele Adebayo ALLAGBÉ & Abdou MAIGUÉRO ----------------------------------- 195 12. EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON WOMEN: A WOMANIST LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE UN SECRETARYGENERAL’S ADDRESS AT THE 65TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN. Franck AMOUSSOU, N. Béatrice Kouinampou M’PO & Ayodélé Adebayo ALLAGBE -------------------------------------------- 223 13. REINFORCING THE EFL LEARNERS’ PRONUNCIATION THROUGH LISTENING ACTIVITIES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS BASED ON MOBILE LEARNING APPROACH Sourou Seigneur ADJIBI ------------------------------------------------------------- 241 14. LEARNING STRATEGIES DEVELOPED IN RAGGED DICK BY HORATIO ALGER JR.: A NECESSITY TO REDEFINE NEW STRATEGIES IN PERIOD OF COVID 19. Ferdinand KPOHOUE --------------------------------------------- 263 15. LES DÉFIS LIÉS À LA PRATIQUE DE L’INTERPRÉTATION À DISTANCE AU BÉNIN EN PÉRIODE DE COVID-19 ET LEURS IMPLICATIONS POUR LA FORMATION DES INTERPRÈTES. Etienne K. IWIKOTAN --------------- 273 16. GESTION DES COURS EN LIGNE AU DEPARTEMENT DES LETTRES MODERNES DE L’UNIVERSITE FELIX HOUPHOUËT BOIGNY A L’ERE DE LA COVID-19 : LEÇONS APPRISES ET PISTES DE SOLUTIONS. BOSSON Bra épouse DJEREDOU ------------------------------------------------ 287 17. A THEORY-BASED TEACHING AND LEARNING OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN THE COVID-19 CONTEXT: AN INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE. Daniel T. YOKOSSI ------------------- 301 18. STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING/LEARNING ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN UNIVERSITIES IN THE COVID-19 CONTEXT: A CASE STUDY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PARAKOU. Abdoulaye HAKIBOU ------ 317 xiii Actes du Colloque – Novembre 2021 L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES 19. EFL TEACHING IN THE COVID-19 ERA: A DELETERIOUS VENTURE OVERLOOKING THE PEDAGOGY OF SOCIAL DISTANCING. C. Martinien ZOUNHIN TOBOULA, Ulrich O. S. HINDEME & Moussa TANKARI ------ 331 20. SCRUTINISING THE EFFECT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ABOMEY-CALAVI AND ADJARRA UNIVERSITY CENTRE. Assogba Evariste KOTTIN & Arlette J. Viviane HOUNHANOU ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 371 21. REGARDS ET EGARDS, LA COVID-19 A L’ASSAUT DES ESPACES HUMAINS : ESSAI D’ANALYSE ET PERSPECTIVES. Adolé Félicité AKUESON & Coovi Clément BAH --------------------------------------------------- 381 VARIA 22. EL CONDE LUCANOR DEL INFANTE DON JUAN MANUAL O LA ESCUELA POTENCIADORA PARA LA VIDA DE SIEMPRE. Cossi Basile MEDENOU ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 395 23. CROSSING S/WORDS: CONTENDING TRUTHS AND DISCOURSE CONSTRUCTION IN ANGIE THOMAS’S THE HATE U GIVE. Sènakpon Adelphe Fortuné AZON ------------------------------------------------------------------- 417 24. CRITICAL OVERVIEW OF RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM IN JEANETTE WINTERSON’S ORANGES ARE NOT THE ONLY FRUIT. Alexis Hergie SEGUEDEME ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 431 25. A PRAGMALINGUISTICS OF DOREEN BAINGANA’S TROPICAL FISH (2005). Moustafa GUEZOHOUEZON ------------------------------------------------- 445 26. EXPERIENTIAL MEANING IN HELON HABILA’S THE CHIBOK GIRLS: THE BOKO HARAM KIDNAPPINGS AND THE ISLAMIST MILITANCY IN NIGERIA (2016): A SYSTEMIC FUNCTIONAL APPROACH. Crépin Djimon LOKO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 461 27. SUSTAINABLE VIRTUE AS THE MOST IMPORTANT WEAPON AGAINST EVILS: KUNLE’S STRENGTH IN OGUNDIMU’S A SILLY SEASON VERSUS OBI’S WEAKNESS IN ACHEBE’S NO LONGER AT EASE. Théophile HOUNDJO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 481 Premières Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques du Labo GRAD xiv Premières Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques Actes du Colloque – Novembre 2021 EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON WOMEN: A WOMANIST LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE UN SECRETARYGENERAL’S ADDRESS AT THE 65TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN Franck AMOUSSOU [email protected] N. Béatrice Kouinampou M’PO [email protected] Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Benin Ayodélé Adebayo ALLAGBE [email protected] Université de Zinder, Niger. ABSTRACT The Coronavirus disease (also called COVID-19), is an ever-known worldwide health crisis which is wreaking havoc on every country of the planet. Declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization (WHO), this pandemic has kept focusing all attentions on the four corners of the globe since its outbreak in Wuhan city in China on 7 January 2020. The current paper sets out to analyze the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic on the female gender. It also aims at seeking solutions to alleviate the overtones of the emergency on the female sex in view to preserving stability and peace. In that regard, it undertakes an (applied linguistic) analysis of the United Nations’ Secretary-General’s address at the 65th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women. Grounded in textual analysis and analytical qualitative research method, the study is informed by the womanist theory. It is unveiled from the investigation that women’s participation in all sectors of life is outstandingly great, yet they are marginalized and suffer the dire effects of the pandemic. Therefore, it is suggested that tangible bold actions be taken to ensure equal representation and participation of women, and to promote their economic inclusion. Keywords: COVID-19, discourse womanism. analysis, gender equality, pandemic, INTRODUCTION Goal number 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. In that perspective, many countries have been endeavoring to significantly reduce the inequalities that exist between men and women. However, the progress made in the last decade is threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic which has sparked and exacerbated the existing disparities between the two sexes. As a matter of fact, “with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic even the limited gains made in the past L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES decades are at risk of being rolled back” (UN, 2020a). It ensues thus that while the pandemic has affected life in political, social, economic, and cultural sectors, the impact of COVID-19 is not gender-neutral. In this study we are mostly concerned with highlighting how the pandemic has effectively contributed to enhancing gender inequalities. More specifically, the study aims at analyzing the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic on the female gender. We also intend to suggest solutions to mitigate the effects of the pandemic from a gender lens. In that regard, the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres’s address at the 65th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women has been inquired into. The discourse analysis perspective is adopted as analytical approach; it is informed by the womanist theory which advocates mutual dependency/collaboration and complementarity of the sexes for the harmony in/of society. 1. Theoretical Underpinnings As just stated on, discourse analysis and womanism are the two theories the current research endeavor is rooted in. 1.1. Discourse Analysis Discourse analysis is an approach to the analysis of language which “examines patterns of language across texts and considers the relationship between language and the social and cultural contexts in which it is used” (Paltridge, 2012, p.2). It is also a view of language in use; that is, how people achieve certain communicative goals through the use of language, perform certain communicative acts, participate in certain communicative events and present themselves to others. In accordance with this, Brown & Yule (1983, p.1) claim that the analysis of discourse is, necessarily, the analysis of language in use. More explicitly, “discourse analysts examine spoken, signed and written language, and may focus on any aspect of linguistic behaviour, from the study of particular patterns of pronunciation, through word choice, sentence structure and semantic representation, to the pragmatic analysis of how we organize speech encounters” (Woods, 2006, p. x). It follows from the foregoing two assumptions. First, the study of discourse implies an exploration of linguistic ‘text’. Second, in analyzing discourse, one is committed to looking at the way in which meaning is constructed throughout the text. To succeed in doing so, the discourse analyst must pay a special attention to the context. Premières Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques du Labo GRAD 224 EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON WOMEN: A WOMANIST LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL’S ADDRESS AT THE 65TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN Context, as conceived of by Woods (2006, p. x), subsumes the context that we bring with us when we use language; the context that includes our experience, assumptions and expectations; the context we change (and this is itself changed) in our relationships with others, as we both construct and negotiate our way through the social practices of the world we live in. In this study we shall be concerned with ‘textual analysis’, and what is known as the ‘representation of discourse content’ (Brown & Yule, 1983, p.106) or ‘semantic representation of text’ (van Dijk, 1977, p.6). Textual analysis, as argued by Fairclough (2003, p. 6), can focus on just a selected few features of text, or many features simultaneously. Talking of representation of discourse content, the written data, for which analysis of content is offered, typically consists of sets of meaningful sentences (or clauses) which the analyst purposefully selects from the text under study. The analyst decides on the appropriate interpretation of each sentence by his/her choice of semantic representation. The semantic representation appears to be only a translation (which is incidentally, also an interpretation) of the piece of text into an alternative format. The semantic representation of a text is its macro structure which defines ‘the meaning of parts of a discourse and of the whole discourse on the basis of the meanings of the individual sentences’ (van Dijk, 1977, p.6). The womanist theory, as above mentioned, will serve as the backcloth for the interpretation of most of the sentences/clauses drawn from the UN Secretary General’s address under scrutiny. 1.2. Womanism Unlike radical feminism, womanism is an ideology in which the destiny of distressed peoples can be urgently discussed in a meaningful context to avert disaster, not just to talk abstractly (Amouzou, 2006, p.102). It ensues from this that womanism is a visionary term which aims at a humanity for all people where social justice is paramount. According to Alice Walker (1983, p.xi; cited in Collins 2001, p.11), a womanist is someone who is “committed to the survival and wholesome of entire people, male and female”. Commenting on this, Phillips (2006, p.xxiii) asserts that womanism offers a more inclusive context for men’s participating. It can be argued from the foregoing that womanism is communal in its orientation. In other words, womanism advocates the collaboration and complementarity between the two sexes. Stressing how the concept transcends race, class, and gender considerations, Pewissi (2017) notes that “womanism remains a multicultural concept and a 225 Franck AMOUSSOU, Béatrice M’PO & Ayodélé ALLAGBE L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES multi-ideological terrain that struggles to bring to the table of negotiation all peoples, all cultures, all traditions, and all gender identities so that they can enrich each other on the way to sustainability” (p.87). It stands to reason that there is no womanism for Blacks and another womanism for Whites. Considering the universality of the term, Phillips (2006), identifies five overarching characteristics to define it: (1) it is antioppressionist, (2) it is nonideological, (3) it is communitarian, (4) it is vernacular, and (5) it is spiritualized. In the light of the objectives assigned to the present study, we purposely chose to briefly broach the first three characteristics. In fact, the notion of ‘antioppressionist’ suggests that womanism supports the liberation of all humankind from all kinds of oppression. In fact, womanism seeks to enable people to transcend the relations of domination and oppression altogether. As for ‘nonideological’, it conveys that womanism abhors rigid lines of demarcation and tends to function in a decentralized manner. Womanism, in that case, is about building structures of inclusiveness and positive interrelationship from anywhere in its network. At last, ‘communitarism’ refers to the fact that womanism views commonweal as the goal of social change. Commonweal is the state of collective well-being; it is the optimization of well-being for all members of a community. In the light of those theoretical underpinnings, it is now time to briefly remind the methodological approach adopted in the current study. 2. Research Method Although the methodological procedure referred to in the frame of this investigation seems to be swiftly broached on while delineating the theory of discourse analysis, it is necessary to clearly and specifically account for the pathway that guided the analysis. 2.1. Source of Data According to Arikunto (as cited by Noertjahjo, Arrifin & Ariani (2017), “source of data denote[s] a subject from which data are obtained” (p.199). In this research, the source of data of analysis is a spoken discourse by an official. As a matter of fact, the inquiry is focused on the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres’s address at the 65th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women. After downloading the so- called speech on the UN site (https:// www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/speeches/2021-03-15/remarks-opening-of- Premières Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques du Labo GRAD 226 EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON WOMEN: A WOMANIST LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL’S ADDRESS AT THE 65TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN 65th-session-of-csw), it has been submitted to a textual analysis as recommended by Fairclough (2003). 2.2. Research Design and Data Analysis Technique It should be recalled that the study undertakes a discourse analysis of a spoken discourse. To that end, it resorts to analytical methods. In fact, in analytical research, the researcher has to use facts or information already available, and analyze them to make a critical evaluation of the material (Kothari 2004, p.3). In addition, given the nature of the data (words, phrases, clauses, set of sentences), qualitative research approach is referred to. Qualitative research, as Dӧ rnyei claimed, is fundamentally interpretive, which means that the research outcome is ultimately the product of the researcher’s subjective interpretation of the data (Dӧ rnyei 2007, p.38). In sum, this study employs the (analytical) qualitative method to analyze data, interpret results, and make inferences. As far as the technique of data analysis is concerned, the study draws on the qualitative research analysis approach devised by Miles & Huberman (1994). This subsumes three phases which are data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification. While data reduction is “the process of selecting, focusing, simplifying, abstracting, and transforming the data that appear in written-up field notes or transcriptions” (Miles & Huberman 1994, p. 10), data display has to do with “an organized, compressed assembly of information that permits conclusion drawing and action” (Op.cited, p.11) on the text or discourse under investigation. Finally, conclusion and verification stage is “the third stream of analysis activity” (Op.cited) the researcher indulges on “to decide what things mean” (Op.cited). In abiding by those phases, the study combines the textual analysis method with the representation of discourse content (or semantic representation of text) as previously signaled in the theoretical underpinnings section. The result obtained from those research methods and technique is displayed beneath. 3. Discourse Analysis of the Speech It should be emphasized that the analysis is conducted in block. That is, in view of a better deciphering of the UN Secretary-General’s message, its basic thematic features are exuded and analyzed subsequently. It should also be 227 Franck AMOUSSOU, Béatrice M’PO & Ayodélé ALLAGBE L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES noted that for conveniency reasons key features are laid emphasis on in the speech through their italicisation. A cautious dissection and appraisal of the speech has brought to the fore four focal themes discussed beneath. 3.1. The Importance of Women in Society Before stressing upon the dire impacts of the pandemic on women (and girls), the orator at the Commission on the Status of Women ingeniously calls to mind the crucial role of women for the welfare of society. For him, decades of evidence show that women’s participation enhances economic results, prompts greater investment in social protection, leads to more sustainable peace and advances climate action. This highlights that women are not only useful for the economic progress of society, but they are also helpful for social cohesion and sustainable development for present and future generations. However, it could rightly be assumed that to fulfil these roles efficiently, women need first and foremost, to devote their time to the well-being of human species as the main actor of any outstanding change. This implies acting on human beings in family circles to hope getting good agents of development. Subscribing to that view, Gichanga et al. (2020), argue that “women are crucial contributors to the survival of their households tasked with ensuring the family is well-fed, clothed, housed, and children have access to [quality] education” (p.1). In that perspective, Guterres lucidly claims that Women make up 70 per cent of the world’s healthcare workforce, and occupy most of the jobs in the economic sectors that have been hit hardest by the pandemic. It follows from the foregoing that while women preferably look after people’s healthcare, they contribute in a great way to the economy of the society. That is why the effects of the pandemic have been harsher once they lost their jobs. Globally, female job-loss rates resulting from COVID-19 are about 1.8 times higher than male job-loss rates. This translates into a higher unemployment rate for women at 57 percent, versus 3.1 percent for men (Mckinsey 2020, cited in International Finance Corporation [IFC], 2020, p.4). From the above data, one could rightly fear that COVID-19 lurches the world economy towards a recession. Yet, in outlining the vital role of women in crises management, the UN Secretary-General seems to give hope. As a matter of fact, Over the past year, women leaders are among those who have kept transmission rates low and put countries on track for recovery. Women’s organizations have filled crucial gaps in the provision of services and information, especially at the community level. It is pretty clear from these statements that women’s contribution in reducing the Premières Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques du Labo GRAD 228 EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON WOMEN: A WOMANIST LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL’S ADDRESS AT THE 65TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN transmission rates of COVID-19 is pivotal. Whether individually or collectively, they are the suppliers of both services and information against the virus. Despite that undeniable importance of the female gender, it is unfortunate that there still exists a lot of disparities between men and womenfolk. In other words, gender inequality has always undermined the efforts and progress made for a brighter future. 3.2. Gender Inequality: The Dichotomy as Enhanced by the Pandemic The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has revealed to the whole humanity how much gender inequality remains embedded in the world’s political, social and economic systems. In fact, the amazing soaring of “the biggest health crisis of the century” (Boutaled 2020, p.2) with its resulting fallouts have laid bare all the injustice men have cunningly made the female gender undergo for ages. On the political ground for instance, Women make up a mere quarter of national legislators worldwide, a third of local government members, and just one fifth of cabinet ministers. Only 22 countries are headed by a woman Head of State or Government. Accordingly, it is projected that at current rates parity among Heads of Government will not be achieved until 2150. More pathetically, it is reported that despite the utility of women in crises management and peacemaking, in peace negotiations from 1992 to 2019, only 13 per cent of negotiators, 6 per cent of mediators and 6 per cent of peace agreement signatories were women. The paradox disclosed by/from this fact is that negotiations are still structured in a way that elevates and incentivizes the very people who have fuelled the violence, rather than those who are building peace. It can thus be provisionally inferred with OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR 2020, p.18) that because women are underrepresented in political leadership, their views and priorities are often overlooked in decision-making, resulting in gender blind policy-making. On the economic level, compounded economic impacts are felt especially by women and girls who are generally earning less, saving less, and holding insecure jobs close to poverty (UN, 2020a). In actuality, compared to men, women are 24 per cent more likely to lose their jobs, and can expect their income to fall 50 per cent more steeply. This can be accounted for by the fact that women depend heavily on employment that can be considered “insecure” or at-risk (e.g., selfemployment or home-based work, part-time, seasonal and informal working arrangements). Another economic effect is that women’s and girls’ unpaid care work has risen dramatically owing to stay-at-home orders, the closure of schools and 229 Franck AMOUSSOU, Béatrice M’PO & Ayodélé ALLAGBE L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES childcare facilities, increased elder care and so much else. As a matter of fact, school, daycare, and eldercare closures have increased women’s core responsibilities, and reduced the time that women have available for paid work, prompting women to leave their jobs, and women entrepreneurs to close their businesses (UNDP 2020, cited in IFC 2020, p.4). As for the social consequences of the health crisis, the coronavirus disease has left some people (notably children, girls, women, disabled and old people), more vulnerable than others. As regards the situation of women, those “who are poor and marginalized continue to lag behind due to the pandemic” (Gichanga et al, 2020). In their great majority, women become victims of more violence. In that sense, it can be assumed that the pandemic has also sparked a shadow epidemic of violence against women worldwide, both online and offline. In other words, during this COVID-19 period, violence against women has manifested itself in different forms, including domestic violence, and online and technology facilitated violence. Substantiating that contention, the United Nations Population Fund stresses that the incidence of gender-based violence (GBV) has, on average, surged by over 20 percent in countries affected by COVID-19 (UNFPA 2020, cited in IFC 2020, p.4). Moreover, emerging data shows that since the outbreak of COVID-19, violence against women and girls (VAWG), and particularly domestic violence has intensified (UN, 2020a, p.19). Actually, every month, the toll rises– from sexual abuse to child marriage. Put differently and in a more elaborated way, there is an increase in incidences of harmful (cultural) practices such as sexual harassment, physical threats, stalking, hacking, Female Genital Mutilation, early and forced marriage, etc. In the light of the magnitude of the devastating impacts of the pandemic, it could be argued that the damage is incalculable and will resound down the decades, into future generations. Hence, the necessity to take concrete and sustainable actions to mitigate and/or slow down the fallouts of what can arguably be termed ‘our biggest enemy’. 3.3. Promoting Gender Balance through Women’s Equal Participation It is obvious from the previous subsection that the position allotted to women thus far, and more precisely in that critical period of the coronavirus disease, is not conducive to building more or less stable and fair societies. In other words, it is likely to hamper all efforts for development. Therefore, now is the time to change course. Change, as some scholars claim, is paramount because “when imbalance develops, people have to impose some order on a situation Premières Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques du Labo GRAD 230 EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON WOMEN: A WOMANIST LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL’S ADDRESS AT THE 65TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN of collapse and chaos” (Fairclough & Fairclough 2012, p.2). For Guterres, women’s equal participation is the game-changer we need. In practice, that amounts to guaranteeing equal rights and opportunities for all. In so doing, gender equality will be promoted for the welfare of the society. Attempting solutions for that gender balance, scholars have suggested a range of measures such as education (Ofosu 2013, Koutchade & Amoussou 2017, Amoussou & Djimet 2020), female friendship, bonding or sisterhood (Akung, 2012, Adjei 2009, Allagbe & Amoussou 2020a), activism (Akung, Op.cited), financial independence (Capo-Chichi Zanou et al, 2018), etc. Opining on the first suggestion, i.e., education as a weapon against female subjugation, the speaker plainly states that is no longer update. To uphold his view, he claims that women already have the skills, the expertise and the capacity. In many countries, they are graduating from higher education at higher rates than men -- and have been for some time. It ensues from the foregoing that focus[ing] on training, capacity building, and empowerment, while dealing with the issue of women’s exclusion, is not in the current context an efficient approach against the injustice. Hence, the new concern should consist in train[ing] those in power on how to build inclusive institutions. That is, the advocacy should henceforth be directed towards power holders. This implicitly suggests striving to get shifting mindsets. It also denotes calling out systemic bias through tangible, meaningful action[s]. In a bid to achieve the expected goal, all leaders are requested to frame and implement five key building blocks which follow: First, realize women’s equal rights fully, including by repealing discriminatory laws and enacting positive measures. Second, ensure equal representation – from company boards to parliaments, from higher education to public institutions – through special measures including quotas. Third, advance women’s economic inclusion through equal pay, targeted credit, job protection and significant investments in the care economy and social protection. Fourth, to enact an emergency response plan in each country to address violence against women and girls, and follow through with funding, policies, and political will. Fifth, to give space to the intergenerational transition that is under way. From the frontlines to online, young women are advocating for a more just and equal world – and merit greater support. (Guterres, 2021) (emphasis not in the original). It can rightly be summed up from the above quotation that policy-makers worldwide are called on to (i) help women enjoy their rights thoroughly, (ii) facilitate equal representation to women, (iii) empower women economically, (iv) grapple with violence against the female gender, and (v) support the intergenerational transition about gender equality and balance in the world. It is however expedient to acknowledge that the path to the achievement of such 231 Franck AMOUSSOU, Béatrice M’PO & Ayodélé ALLAGBE L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES goals is not going to be easy. It will be sprinkled with obstacles, with serious hindrances because we still live in a male-dominated world with a male-dominated culture. Consequently, there is a need for both men and women to join hands and work intimately. 3.4. Man-Woman Cooperation: A Sustainable Solution against COVID-19’s Fallouts In contrast to the social order set by patriarchal society which aims at subjugating the woman by relegating her to the margins, the disparities engendered are not profitable for humanity. In his attempt to account for that effective meaning of that imbalance, the orator convincingly provides the following explanation: When women are missing from decision-making, we see the world through only one perspective. We create economic models that fail to measure the productive work that occurs in the home. We create digital fora with built-in coding biases. We see decisions threatening efforts to guarantee full access to sexual and reproductive health services and rights. And we spend trillions on weapons that fail to make us safer, while neglecting the violence that one in three women globally have experienced.(Guterres, 2021) (emphasis not in the original). In the light of the foregoing enlightenment, and contrary to feminists’ approach against gender inequality, many people opt nowadays for a synergy of actions between men and women for the world to be a better place to live in (Olusola 2016, p.79, Amouzou 2014, p.22, Amoussou & Djimet 2020, Pewessi 2017). Endorsing that new approach, the UN Secretary-General posits that males are an essential part of the solution against gender imbalance. As a matter of fact, the reversal strategy whereby men are pushed to the margin, is a problem because it creates other problems to woman in her noble fight for liberation (Amouzou 2014, p.22). Actually, to empower the victim of yesterday to fight back and disarm the powerful is a perpetual way of raising violence to maintain gender inequality (Pewessi, 2017, p.71). Focusing particularly on the precise issue of the health tragedy we are concerned with in this study, it is imperative to prioritize cohesive actions requiring mutual cooperation of males and females. Differently put, to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19, we need to build “a more equal world that is more resilient to future crises” (UN 2020, p.2). This appears as a nonnegotiable requirement because together, we have a chance to leave behind Premières Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques du Labo GRAD 232 EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON WOMEN: A WOMANIST LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL’S ADDRESS AT THE 65TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN entrenched exclusion, and build a just and equal future. Likewise, together, [we] are an unstoppable force. Those two representatives or assertives (to borrow pragmatic lexical items) are in accordance with WHO Director-General’s 29 April 2020 opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 that: this virus can wreak havoc. It’s more than any terrorist attack. It can bring political, economic and social upheavals. But the choice is ours, and the choice should be unity at the national level. The choice should be global solidarity, standing in unity (Ghebreyesus, 2020) (emphasis ours). The unity and solidarity referred to above suggest that we build not just for some but for all. In that perspective, the efforts made by late Margaret Snyder, the founding director of UNIFEM and an ally of women’s groups across the world, have been called to mind: working to empower the poorest women. Although such solidarity actions are awkwardly perceived as threatening to some high level and powerful people, there is no way to despair. Rather, they could move us, but they couldn’t stop us. It logically stands to argue from the foregoing stimulating utterances by the abovementioned woman activist, that in their quest of justice and equality, women- in collaboration with their male counterparts- should be irresolutely determined to face whatever impediments could come across their way. In so doing, the battle to minimize the impacts of the virus -notably on women and girls- will be won in the best interests of everybody. CONCLUSION Today it is an evidence that what started as a public health emergency has snowballed into a formidable test for global development and for the prospects of today’s young generation (UN, 2020b, p. 5). In fact, the COVID19 pandemic and its social and economic impacts have created a global crisis which requires a whole-of-society, whole-of- government response to match its sheer scale and complexity, and ultimately to curb its repercussions. This study has attempted, through an investigation into the UN SecretaryGeneral’s speech at the opening of the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, to think about possible measures to mitigate the risks of the pandemic on women. Beforehand, it has disclosed, from a cautious exploration of the aforementioned discourse, the importance of women. Besides, how gender inequality has been reinforced during the COVID-19 period has been amply discussed. Subsequently, measures/concrete actions destined to promote gender equality have been suggested. At last, the current scholars have gone along with Guterres to demonstrate that to win the fight 233 Franck AMOUSSOU, Béatrice M’PO & Ayodélé ALLAGBE L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES for a more just and equal world, there should necessarily be cooperative actions between men and women, irrespective of their race or skin colour. As a matter of fact, the ultimate impact of the crisis on women hinges on how much it will take for human beings to take actions aiming at promoting gender balance. Joining hands to act together could reveal as a sustainable solution for both sexes to build more equal, inclusive, and resilient societies. Though there will unquestionably be much resistance from today’s leaders, we do believe that educating men for a reversal of mindsets could reveal a long-term solution against gender inequality. References Adjei, M. (2009). Male-bashing and Narrative Subjectivity in Amma Darko’s First Three Novels. SKASE Journal of Literature Studies, 1 (1), 47—61. Allagbe, A. A. & Amoussou, F. (2020a). patriarchal Ideologies and Female Unfemininities in a Contemporary Feminist Writing: A Gender-Oriented and Critical Discourse Analysis Perspective. International Journal of Language, Literature and Gender Studies (LALIGENS), 9 (19), 13-27. https://doi.org/10.4314/laligens.v9i1.2 . Amoussou, F. & Djimet, I. (2020). De-structuring Social Orders for Social Change: A Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis from Two Contemporary Literary Artifacts. International Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Studies (IJAHSS), 2 (5), 140-148. Amouzou, A. (2006). Reconceptualizing Gender in Nigerian Literature: The Dynamics of Womanist Ideology in Flora Nwapa’s Fiction. Revue du CAMES-Nouvelle Série B, 007 (1), 97-104. Amouzou, A. (2014). Ideological Ambiguities and Social Relevance in Buchi Emecheta’s The Slave Girl. Revue du CAMES : Lettres, Langues et Linguistique, 2, 13-24. Boutaleb, O. (2020). Africa is Preparing for the Worst against Cononavirus. Policy Brief, 20 (18), 1-12. Brown, G. & Yule, G. (1983). Discourse Analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Capo-Chichi Zanou, L. C., Gbaguidi, C. & Akogbeto, J. (2018). Social Environment and Empowerment in Chimamanda N. Adichie’s Purple Premières Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques du Labo GRAD 234 EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON WOMEN: A WOMANIST LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL’S ADDRESS AT THE 65TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN Hibiscus. Revue Internationale de Linguistique Appliquée, de Littérature et d’Education, 1 (1), 65-78. Collins, H. P. (2001). What’s in a Name? Womanism, Black Feminism, and Beyond? The Black Scholar, 26 (1), 9-17. Dӧ rnyei Z, 2007, Research Methods in Applied Linguistics, Oxford, Oxford University Press. Fairclough, I. & Fairclough, N. (2012). Political Discourse Analysis: A Method for Advanced Students. New York: Routledge. Ghebreyesus, T. A. (2020). WHO Director-General’s Opening Remarks at the Media Briefing on COVID-19-29 April 2020. Uploaded on 29 April 2020, https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-sopening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---29-april-2020 Gichanga, M. Miliza, J. Kakusu, N. Akinyi, R. Akoko, W. & Maundu, C. (2020). Gendered Impact of COVID-19 on Women in Kibera: Socio-Economic, Psychosocial and Digital Divide. Kenya ICT Action Network (KicTAnet), 7, 114. Fairclough, N. (2003). Analysing discourse: textual analysis for social research. London: Routledge. Guterres, A. (2021). Remarks at the Opening of the 65th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women. Uploaded on 15/03/2021, https:// www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/speeches/2021-03-15/remarks-openingof-65th-session-of-csw International Finance Corporation (2020). COVID-19 and Gender Equality: Six Actions for the Private Sector. New York: Washington. Kothari, C. R. (2004). Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques (2nd revised ed). New Delhi: New Age International (P) Ltd., Publisher. Koutchade, I. S. & Amoussou, F. (2017). Language, Power and Ideology: A Critical Linguistics Analysis of Gender Representation in Stretches of an African Female Prose Fiction. Cahiers d’Etudes Linguistiques (CEL) : Revue du Département des Sciences du Langage et de la Communication (DSLC)-Université d’Abomey-Calavi (UAC), 13, 63-88. Miles, M. B. & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative Data Analysis (2nd Ed). California: SAGE Publications Inc. 235 Franck AMOUSSOU, Béatrice M’PO & Ayodélé ALLAGBE L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES Noertjahjo, E. Arifin, B. M. & Ariani, S. (2017). Analysis of Flouting and Violating towards Maxim of Quality in My Sister’s Keeper Novel. Jurnal Ilmu Budaya, 1 (3), 193-206. Ofosu, J. D. (2013). The Feminist Voice in Contemporary Ghanaian Female Fiction: A Textual Analysis of Amma Darko’s Faceless and Not Without Flowers. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 3 (1), 178-188. Olusola, A. O. (2016). Lexis and Mood as Markers of Feminist Ideology in Tunde Kelani’s Arugba and Ma’ami. International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences, 71, 71-82. Doi: 10.18052 / www.scipress.com /ILSHS.71.71 OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (2020). Human Rightsand Gender Equality during Public Emergencies: How Women Are Imp acted by Restrictions to Fundamental Freedoms and Human Rights, Observations from the Covid-19 Pandemic, ISBN 978-3-903128-60-6. Warsaw: Poland. Patridge, B. (2012). Discourse Analysis: An Introduction (2nd ed.). London & New York: Bloomsbury Academic. Pewissi, A. (2017). Rethinking Womanism: When Difference Maps Chaos. Ghana: Yamens Press Limited. Phillips, L. (2006). The Womanist Reader. Routledge: Taylor & Francis Group. United Nations (2020a). Policy Brief: The Impact of COVID-19 on Women, April 9, p.1-21. United Nations (2020b). Policy Brief: The Impact of COVID-19 on Children, April 15, p.1-17. Van Dijk, T. A. (1997). Text and Context: Explorations in the Semantics and Pragmatics of Discourse. New York: Longman Group Ltd. Woods, N. (2006). Describing Discourse: A Practical Guide to Discourse Analysis. Hodder Education: Oxford University Press. Premières Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques du Labo GRAD 236 EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON WOMEN: A WOMANIST LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL’S ADDRESS AT THE 65TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN Appendix Remarks at the Opening of the 65th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women António Guterres 15 March 2021 I am very pleased to address the Commission on the Status of Women. We meet for a second time in the context of the pandemic, which is having a devastating impact on women and girls. COVID-19 is a crisis with a woman’s face. The fallout has shown how deeply gender inequality remains embedded in the world’s political, social and economic systems. Those disparities have themselves exacerbated the damage – and we have all paid the price. Women make up 70 per cent of the world’s healthcare workforce, and occupy most of the jobs in the economic sectors that have been hit hardest by the pandemic. Compared to men, women are 24 per cent more likely to lose their jobs, and can expect their income to fall 50 per cent more steeply. Women’s and girls’ unpaid care work has risen dramatically owing to stay-athome orders, the closure of schools and childcare facilities, increased elder care and so much else. The pandemic has also sparked a shadow epidemic of violence against women worldwide, both online and offline. Every month, the toll rises – from sexual abuse to child marriage. The damage is incalculable and will resound down the decades, into future generations. Now is the time to change course. Women’s equal participation is the game-changer we need. Decades of evidence show that women’s participation enhances economic results, prompts greater investment in social protection, leads to more sustainable peace and advances climate action. Now it is the COVID-19 response that has spotlighted the great power of women’s leadership. Over the past year, women leaders are among those who have kept transmission rates low and put countries on track for recovery. Women’s organizations have filled crucial gaps in the provision of services and information, especially at the community level. 237 Franck AMOUSSOU, Béatrice M’PO & Ayodélé ALLAGBE L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES Greater gender balance has led to better responses. Conversely, countries with less effective responses have tended to be those where strongman approaches prevail and women’s rights are under assault. The United Nations, for its part, has placed women at the centre of its COVID19 response and recovery. We issued one of the first assessments of the impact of the pandemic on women. We have pushed for stimulus packages that support the informal economy, invest in the care economy and target women entrepreneurs. And we have worked with governments and communities to address the surge in violence against women, including by keeping shelters open and moving services online. My call for a global ceasefire was followed immediately by a call for an end to violence in the home. More generally we have used every possible occasion to highlight the effectiveness of women’s equal participation. Yet still, when looking across the world, we see that women’s voices remain missing from the highest levels of leadership. Women make up a mere quarter of national legislators worldwide, a third of local government members, and just one fifth of cabinet ministers. Only 22 countries are headed by a woman Head of State or Government. And at current rates parity among Heads of Government will not be achieved until 2150. That’s right, another 130 years of men making the same kinds of decisions they have made for the past 130 years and more. The pandemic has provided yet another opportunity for men to dominate decision-making. A study of 87 countries found that 85 per cent of COVID-19 task forces contained mostly men. In global news coverage of the pandemic, just one of every five expert sources were women. Let’s consider what this imbalance really means. When women are missing from decision-making, we see the world through only one perspective. We create economic models that fail to measure the productive work that occurs in the home. We create digital fora with built-in coding biases. Premières Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques du Labo GRAD 238 EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON WOMEN: A WOMANIST LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL’S ADDRESS AT THE 65TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN We see decisions threatening efforts to guarantee full access to sexual and reproductive health services and rights. And we spend trillions on weapons that fail to make us safer, while neglecting the violence that one in three women globally have experienced. Changing these default settings must be seen as an imperative. That is why one of my first priorities as Secretary-General was to bring more women into leadership positions in my Senior Management Group and among Resident Coordinators and Special Envoys. Last year, we reached gender parity at the senior-most levels, two-years ahead of our planning, and we are now forging ahead across all ranks. We are also striving to ensure women’s participation in peacekeeping, mediation and peacebuilding processes. But we still have lots to do. In peace negotiations from 1992 to 2019, only 13 per cent of negotiators, 6 per cent of mediators and 6 per cent of peace agreement signatories were women. Negotiations are still structured in a way that elevates and incentivizes the very people who have fuelled the violence, rather than those who are building peace. Too often, when addressing the challenge of exclusion, it is suggested that we focus on training, capacity building, empowerment for women. But women already have the skills, the expertise and the capacity. In many countries, they are graduating from higher education at higher rates than men -- and have been for some time. What we need is not more training for women, but to train those in power on how to build inclusive institutions. We need to move beyond fixing women and instead fix our systems. We must also support women leaders in all their diversity and abilities – including young women, migrant women, indigenous women, women with disabilities, women of colour and LGBTIQ+. Pandemic recovery is our chance to engineer a re-set, reignite the Decade of Action for the Sustainable Development Goals and chart a path to an equal future for women and men. I call on all leaders to put in place five key building blocks: First, realize women’s equal rights fully, including by repealing discriminatory laws and enacting positive measures. 239 Franck AMOUSSOU, Béatrice M’PO & Ayodélé ALLAGBE L’ENSEIGNEMENT ET LA RECHERCHE DANS LE CONTEXTE DE LA COVID-19 : NECESSITE D’UNE REDEFINITION DE STRATEGIES Second, ensure equal representation – from company boards to parliaments, from higher education to public institutions – through special measures including quotas. Third, advance women’s economic inclusion through equal pay, targeted credit, job protection and significant investments in the care economy and social protection. Fourth, to enact an emergency response plan in each country to address violence against women and girls, and follow through with funding, policies, and political will. Fifth, to give space to the intergenerational transition that is under way. From the frontlines to online, young women are advocating for a more just and equal world – and merit greater support. This year we have an opportunity to advance this agenda through the Generation Equality Forum and Action Coalitions being convened by UN Women, co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France in partnership with civil society and youth. Gender equality is essentially a question of power. We still live in a maledominated world with a male-dominated culture. This must change. And males are an essential part of the solution. This Commission will continue to play a central role in shifting mindsets, calling out systemic bias and mobilizing tangible, meaningful action. Earlier this year, we lost an inspiring leader of this shared cause – Margaret Snyder, the founding director of UNIFEM and an ally of women’s groups across the world. Last year, reflecting on the early years of her efforts and the obstacles she faced, she wrote, and I quote: “Through all of the administrative issues, we were reminded that working to empower the poorest women was threatening to some high level and powerful people. They could move us, but they couldn’t stop us.” End of quote. Together, you are an unstoppable force. Together, we have a chance to leave behind entrenched exclusion, and build a just and equal future. Let’s make it happen together, and I thank you. Premières Journées d’Etudes Scientifiques du Labo GRAD 240