Covid-19 risks worsening inequalities, clawing back inclusion gains

UN Secretary-General António Guterres rightly noted that women carry the biggest burden of Covid-19, at home and in the economy, hence the need to address the impact of the crisis on them.

And a week after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the new coronavirus disease a pandemic, UN Women tweeted: “As well as the health battle, the social impact of the #coronavirus is significant and it is women who are being disproportionately affected. Crisis exacerbates gender inequality. All crisis response must be gender-responsive. #COVID19.”

It may seem a weird time to push for gender matters, but if inclusion is important in good times, it is needful in hard times. Data suggests that women are the glue that will hold families, communities, organisations and economies together during and post-Covid-19.

Women are best placed to lead campaigns on social distancing and handwashing. Women are the primary caretakers during quarantine, lockdown and illness. Women are an important social and economic pillar, making sure families are fed and clothed and reassured even as the world threatens to shut down. Yet, despite their critical role, they fall in the category of most vulnerable in times of pandemics.

Covid-19 risks worsening inequalities and clawing back gains in inclusion. Experience from pandemics such as Ebola has shown that women are invincible in global health governance during crises but they get moved down the list of priorities. This could be repeated during Covid-19.

Pre-Covid, women did three times as much unpaid care work at home as men. The premature closure of schools to stem the spread of the virus means an increased burden for women. Isolation and social distancing measures add the housework and care burden.

Mental health

We need conversations on women’s mental health during the crisis and facilitating their work while cognisant of these additional roles. A mother who suddenly has to take care of children and homeschool or care for sick family members may not work under previous formal arrangements. Businesses need to come up with work plans that allow women to deliver on all fronts.

In Kenya, most women work in the informal and other sectors that have been greatly affected by Covid-19, like restaurants and tourism. They either have their workplaces shut down or must risk daily to get to work amid low patronage as clients stay at home.

Covid-19 risks pushing a large number of families into poverty as their incomes are threatened. Businesses need to come up with wage and job protection measures and social nets for these families.

The national and county governments and other bodies should support sectors that mainly employ women to keep them afloat. Banks are giving interest waivers and deferrals to small businesses.

United Nations Population Fund has noted that pandemics worsen gender inequalities, making it harder for women to go to work safely or access reproductive and maternal care services. The government and other bodies should protect these essential services.

According to the WHO, women make up to 67 per cent of health and social service workers — meaning they are in the frontline of response efforts against coronavirus. But they are under-represented in healthcare executive teams and key decision making.

Research shows diversity leads to better outcomes. Kenya has women such as Dr Mercy Mwangangi, the Health CAS, leading from the front. More such leaders need to be placed in strategic roles in this war.

The UN Global Health Crises Task Force noted after the Ebola and Zika virus outbreaks the need to incorporate gender analyses and responses and recognise the role of women in health emergency response.

A study by Corrine Post and colleagues at Lehigh University in the US shows that people trust female leaders more than males in times of crisis. Women are relational and their interpersonal emotion management helps to alleviate the feeling of threat.

Women leaders are also better able to anticipate and manage emotions of others and provide solutions that reduce the emotional impact of a crisis. They are better able to build a team atmosphere. Stereotypical female qualities like social skills, tact, empathy, collaboration and intuitive decision making are more needed in tough times.

The “Women Matter 3” report by McKinsey shows that such leadership behaviours are critical to navigate through crises safely and perform well in a post-crisis world. There is no better time to tap these strengths in the fight against Covid-19 than now.

Ms Kavashe, managing director, Isuzu (EA) Ltd, is vice-chairperson, Kenya Private Sector Association (Kepsa). [email protected].