RightOn – COVID-19 and women: The gendered impact of the crisis

In partnership with the Permanent Missions of Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands, UNFPA, the Geneva Academy, the Human Rights Centre of the University of Essex, World Jewish Conference, the Geneva Rights Platform, and the Geneva Internet Platform, the URG has launched a new digital initiative to keep the conversation on key human rights issues going during these times of lockdowns and self-isolation.

The RightOn initiative provides a platform for debate and exchange of ideas on topical human rights issues through regular webinars, which takes place every Wednesday at 3 PM CEST. The fourth of these Wednesday Web Chats took place on 29th April 2020 and focused on the issue of ‘COVID-19 and women: The gendered impact of the crisis’

It has become clear in recent weeks that this pandemic and the concurrent economic crisis is impacting women differently than men. 

Women, who already shoulder a disproportionate share of unpaid care work, have come under even more pressure as schools and daycares have closed. Many are also at an increased risk of exposure to the virus, since they work on the frontlines of our global effort against the pandemic, providing essential medical and other services. In the future, they are also more likely to be disproportionately affected by the economic shocks that will follow the pandemic, as they represent a higher percentage of persons in precarious, informal, or poorly paid work. 

Additionally, the current lockdown orders, which are in place in a majority of the world’s States is likely to exacerbate the incidences of domestic violence at a time when shelters are closing and women can’t leave their homes. 

Our Wednesday ‘Right On’ web chat highlighted key women’s rights concerns during the pandemic, and looked to develop recommendations for how governments can mitigate the negative impact of their crisis policies on women. Finally, the discussion identified opportunities to ‘build back better’ from the crisis and re-energise progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 5 and gender equality.

A recording of the discussion can be watched here:

https://righton.dig.watch