No. 9
Special Report
COVID-19
10 February 2021
The economic autonomy of women in a sustainable recovery with equality A. Policies for a sustainable economic recovery with gender equality The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic struck Latin America and
the Caribbean at a time of low economic growth and rising poverty and inequality. The economic and social effects of the pandemic are expected to have a substantial impact on women’s autonomy (see diagram 1). Efforts are needed to ensure that the multiple crises unleashed in the economic and social spheres do not exacerbate structural challenges of gender inequalities in Latin America and the Caribbean over the short, medium and long term.
Diagram 1 | The COVID-19 crisis is exacerbating structural challenges of gender inequality and undermining women’s autonomy Increase in poverty and overrepresentation Women concentrated in sectors of women in poor households with a greater risk of infection Financial services access gap leaves women Women overrepresented in the first line less able to cope with the crisis of response to the pandemic The female unemployment rate is rising and exceeds the male rate Increased demand for care Women concentrated in informal in households work and small enterprises Socioeconomic Sexual division inequality and Women employed in of labour The digital gender gap: poverty low-skilled sectors: greater a barrier to digitalization likelihood of losing their jobs The COVID-19 crisis Limited access to basic services to automation is deepening structural challenges of gender inequality and undermining women’s autonomy
Concentration of power
Women less likely to participate in decision-making about pandemic response
Patriarchal cultural patterns
Women more exposed to living with agressors or potential agressors
Source: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
Contents A. Policies for a sustainable economic recovery with gender equality.................... 1 B. The effects of the pandemic on women’s employment and incomes........................... 2 C. The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating the use of digital platforms......................... 9 D. A fiscal covenant for recovery with gender equality.................................. 12 E. Actions for gender equality in he recovery............................................. 13 Bibliography.................................................... 14