Why COVID-19 is a backwards step for gender equality - and what to do about it

Jul 1, 2020

Kirsty Anderson holds her baby Theo, who was born prematurely and is now nine weeks old, as they wait for medical staff to discharge him from hospital in the Lancashire Women and Newborn Centre of Burnley General Hospital in East Lancashire, following the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Burnley, Britain, June 22, 2020. Picture taken June 22, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay - RC2KFH9AI8TW

Women are set to shoulder the worst of the pandemic's effects. Image: REUTERS/Hannah McKay

Stefania Fabrizio

Deputy Division Chief, International Monetary Fund

Vivian Malta

Economist, IMF

Marina M. Tavares

Economist, International Monetary Fund

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gender women girls employment equality parity unfair unjust Coronavirus china virus health healthcare who world health organization disease deaths pandemic epidemic worries concerns Health virus contagious contagion viruses diseases disease lab laboratory doctor health dr nurse medical medicine drugs vaccines vaccinations inoculations technology testing test medicinal biotechnology biotech biology chemistry physics microscope research influenza flu cold common cold bug risk symptomes respiratory china iran italy europe asia america south america north washing hands wash hands coughs sneezes spread spreading precaution precautions health warning covid 19 cov SARS 2019ncov wuhan sarscow wuhanpneumonia pneumonia outbreak patients unhealthy fatality mortality elderly old elder age serious death deathly deadly

Figure 1: Trends in female labour force participation. Image: Vox EU/World Bank, World Development Indicators, authors’ calculations

gender women girls employment equality parity unfair unjust Coronavirus china virus health healthcare who world health organization disease deaths pandemic epidemic worries concerns Health virus contagious contagion viruses diseases disease lab laboratory doctor health dr nurse medical medicine drugs vaccines vaccinations inoculations technology testing test medicinal biotechnology biotech biology chemistry physics microscope research influenza flu cold common cold bug risk symptomes respiratory china iran italy europe asia america south america north washing hands wash hands coughs sneezes spread spreading precaution precautions health warning covid 19 cov SARS 2019ncov wuhan sarscow wuhanpneumonia pneumonia outbreak patients unhealthy fatality mortality elderly old elder age serious death deathly deadly

Figure 2: Share of employment by sector (percent). Image: Vox EU/ILO and authors’ calculations

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