2020 a challenging year for us all
2020 has been a year like no other. It has been challenging at every level and no one has been untouched by the consequences of the COVID19 pandemic.
Women in particular have led the charge through the pandemic, showing resilience, courage and clear messaging especially when they are leading governments.
Women as the backbone of society
Women have also felt the negative consequences of the pandemic tremendously. Women are responsible for a multitude of duties from caring for their families, home schooling and reporting to their jobs on the front line.
Women make up the majority of our essential workers; over 60% of women around the world are on the front line of this crisis through medical and social care; over 70% of SME's are women owned and are the backbone of every community and nearly 1 in 3 women work in agriculture producing food for the world.
But as a consequence a McKinsey & Company report found that women’s jobs were 1.8 times more vulnerable to the Covid-19 crises than men’s, with women accounting for 54% of overall job losses though they account for just 39% of global employment.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has warned that the “disproportionate impact” of the pandemic on women could undo some of the gains in gender equality in the labour market in recent decades and indeed exacerbate disparities.
“Previous crises have shown that when women lose their jobs, their engagement in unpaid care work increases and that when jobs are scarce, women are often denied job opportunities available to men,” the ILO said.
Then there are the even less fortunate women of the world to consider. For many countries, war wages on. In parts of the world such as Armenia, Ethiopia, Yemen and Syria - civil war has continued and has even worsened. It is women, who are having to protect their families in camps as they are being displaced from conflict areas.
Supporting women into 2021
As we transition into a new year it is critical that governments and not-for-profits double down on commitments to women in the workplace, in education and in society to ensure we do not lose all the progress that has been made up to this point. Gender issues affect everyone and any set back to 50% of the world’s population, will be a set back to the whole globe. Gender issues are closely linked with social stability, rule of law and good governance. It is important that we lift up and shine a light on the women that are leading the charge in the continued fight against a pandemic, but also as women continue to tackle the challenges of war, displacement and protecting their families. Our ask of the government is that women are involved in all decision making of both political, government and corporate institutions from the top down with full transparency.
