There’s the pandemic you know about, and all too well. It’s rightfully crowding the headlines of your newspaper and occupying the minds of government leaders. It’s taking loved ones, imperiling heroes in scrubs, threatening neighbors at the cash register, and suddenly......... For more read visit https://bit.ly/2EgMNRp

1. What COVID-19
reveals about gender
inequality
WIE
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3. There’s the pandemic you know about, and all too well.
It’s rightfully crowding the headlines of your newspaper
and occupying the minds of government leaders. It’s
taking loved ones, imperiling heroes in scrubs,
threatening neighbors at the cash register, and suddenly
turning parents everywhere into teachers. Then, there’s
the shadow pandemic, which is rapidly unraveling the
limited, but precious progress that the world has made
toward gender equality in the past few decades.
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4. This shadow pandemic can be seen in the form of domestic violence,
economic crunch – initially affecting one person and finally trickling
down to the entire family and adverse impact on health. Not to mention
all these crises already did exist but with countries going in a state of
lockdown these shadows are growing much stronger to the extent
where they no longer are a shadow but an entity, a reality undeniable
and unforgettable. Undeniable because we all see it coming, we all
know it will happen and it is already happening yet we are living with it
making us appear as if somewhere we have accepted it. However, at
the same time, it is unforgettable because the scars will stay forever,
apparently hidden, yet so visible and clear as an experience and
memory for a lifetime.
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5. Women are already suffering the deadly impact of lockdowns and
quarantines. These restrictions are essential but increase the risk of
violence towards women trapped with abusive partners and cut-off from
social and institutional support. The UN Secretary-General recently
stated, “We know lockdowns and quarantines are essential to
suppressing COVID-19. But they can trap women with abusive partners.”
Also, these threats are taking new complexities as abusers are exploiting
the inabilities of women escaping from home for working to support
family, or be able to call for help through NGOs or other organizations as
support services are already strained due to minimal operations and
shutdowns on part of organizations as well.
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6. Second, domestic violence is the economic impact. It will be rightful to say that the
COVID-19 pandemic is clearly aggravating the economic inequalities faced by
women. Women are disproportionately represented in poorly paid jobs without
benefits, as domestic workers, casual laborers, street vendors, and in small-scale
services like hairdressing. These jobs come with fewer pays, weaker legal
protection, and difficulties accessing social protection. The International Labour
Organization estimates that nearly 200 million jobs will be lost in the next three
months alone — many in these sectors. “Across the globe, women earn less, save
less, hold less secure jobs, and are more likely to be employed in the informal
sector. They have less access to social protection and are the majority of single-
parent households. Their capacity to absorb economic shocks is, therefore, less
than that of men.” Policy Brief: The Impact of COVID-19 on Women.
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7. Finally, we need to chalk down the impact on women healthcare coming along as
an undetachable byproduct of the COVID-19 pandemic. Women in marginalized
and underdeveloped communities are most likely to remain uneducated their
entire life. They usually rely on men or their nearby village clinics or dispensaries
for advice and guidelines on healthcare and other diseases and therefore online
medical advice systems and health messages are not much of a help to them as
they are unable to comprehend this knowledge. With small clinics and
dispensaries being either closed or limited on timings and a number of patients a
day, the risk of women’s health deteriorating increases every day. “Women and
girls have unique health needs, but they are less likely to have access to quality
health services, essential medicines, and vaccines, maternal and reproductive
health care, or insurance coverage for routine and catastrophic health costs,
especially in rural and marginalized communities.” Policy Brief: The Impact of
COVID-19 on Women.
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8. Furthermore, studies reveal that women make around 70% of the global
healthcare workers as the frontline people catering to the increasing surging
demand for this pandemic. This further increases their risk due to direct
exposure with the infected patients and short of personal protection
equipment (PPE) which is more available to men than to women. If it is
available even then the size of the equipment is made on standard (generally
male size) size to fit everyone which still does not serve the purpose for
women as either it would be too big or too loose for them.“Special attention
needs to be given to the health, psychosocial needs, and work environment
of frontline female health workers, including midwives, nurses, community
health workers, as well as facility support staff.” Policy Brief: The Impact of
COVID-19 on Women
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9. It serves as a reminder that although things have
improved for some, we still live in an unequal society.
There is much work to be done to lift people out of
poverty and to remove barriers, allowing each of us to
fulfill our potential. This work must be included in
economic metrics and decision-making. We will all gain
from arrangements that recognize people’s caring
responsibilities and inclusive economic models valuing
work in the home.
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10. For building more equal and resilient communities we need to consider
women’s interests and rights, front and center, with consideration to all
the aspects impacting COVID-19 adversities on gender equality.
Contributed by: Fiza Minal Mazhar, Social Activist
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