The Impact of COVID-19 on Women
This policy brief by the UN Secretary General focuses on the impact of COVID-19 affecting women and girls around the world with respect to the economy, health, unpaid care work and gender based violence. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, and was intended to be ground breaking for gender equality. But with the outbreak of COVID-19, the successes achieved in the field of gender equality might take backward steps. Day by day, this pandemic is magnifying existing inequalities and exposing vulnerabilities in social, political and economic systems.
It emphasises that all national responses place women and girls, their inclusion, representation, rights, social and economic outcomes, equality and protection at the centre in order to have necessary impacts. This will help to build a more just and resilient world as this falls in the interests of men and boys as well. Even if women are the hardest hit, they will be the backbone of recovery in communities.
It also emphasises three cross cutting priorities:
- Ensure women’s equal participation in all COVID-19 response planning and decision making
- Drive transformative change for equality by addressing the care, economy whether paid or unpaid
- Target women and girls in all efforts to address the socio-economic impact of COVID-19
Putting women and girls at the centre of economies will fundamentally drive better and more sustainable development outcomes for all, support a more rapid recovery, and place us back on a footing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Read: Policy Brief: Impact of COVID-19 on Women
