ESCWA Publication: E/ESCWA/CL2.GPID/2022/TP.11
Country: Arab region
Publication Type: Information material
Cluster: Gender Justice, Population and Inclusive Development
Focus Area: 2030 Agenda, Gender equality, Inclusive development, Future of employment
Initiatives: Women’s rights and gender mainstreaming, Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls, Women’s economic empowerment, Women, peace and security, Reforming social protection systems, COVID-19 Stimulus Tracker
SDGs: Goal 1: No Poverty, Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being, Goal 5: Gender Equality, Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities, Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Keywords: Women, Gender equality, Gender mainstreaming, Gender-based violence, Gender discrimination, Covid-19, Girls, Arab countries, Crisis management, Economic security, Employment discrimination, Employment security, Employment, Social protection, Economic growth, Gender equality, Financial crisis, Economic crisis, Labour market, Financial policy, Government policy, Social services
Leaving women and girls further behind or a potential opportunity for strengthening gender equality? Lessons from the COVID-19 crisis in the Arab region
July 2022
Almost two years into the pandemic, COVID-19 crisis continues to adversely impact peoples’ lives globally. While the health and socioeconomic crisis caused by the pandemic affects everyone, disproportionate economic impact on individuals and groups who may already be vulnerable, marginalized or overlooked is becoming apparent. Across the globe, women earn less, save less, hold less secure jobs, and are more likely to be employed in the informal sector. They have less access to social protection and their capacity to absorb economic shocks is therefore less than that of men. The situation of women in the Arab region is not so different, and the COVID-19 crisis further exacerbated the pre-existing inequalities.
To mitigate the consequences of COVID-19 crisis, governments in the world, including the Arab States, acted at considerable speed to design and implement policy measures to protect jobs, infrastructure and economic growth. These fiscal and social policy measures are structured around the seven categories followed by ESCWA global Stimulus Tracker. As the various policy responses to previous crises have shown, for the COVID-19 response plans, governments used existing 'channels', which can be mobilized and geared to ease the recession burden but in which women are less included and to which they have less access.
Related content
2030 Agenda
, Gender equality
, Inclusive development
, Future of employment
,
Almost two years into the pandemic, COVID-19 crisis continues to adversely impact peoples’ lives globally. While the health and socioeconomic crisis caused by the pandemic affects everyone, disproportionate economic impact on individuals and groups who may already be vulnerable, marginalized or overlooked is becoming apparent. Across the globe, women earn less, save less, hold less secure jobs, and are more likely to be employed in the informal sector. They have less access to social protection and their capacity to absorb economic shocks is therefore less than that of men. The situation of women in the Arab region is not so different, and the COVID-19 crisis further exacerbated the pre-existing inequalities.
To mitigate the consequences of COVID-19 crisis, governments in the world, including the Arab States, acted at considerable speed to design and implement policy measures to protect jobs, infrastructure and economic growth. These fiscal and social policy measures are structured around the seven categories followed by ESCWA global Stimulus Tracker. As the various policy responses to previous crises have shown, for the COVID-19 response plans, governments used existing 'channels', which can be mobilized and geared to ease the recession burden but in which women are less included and to which they have less access.
