Covid-19 pandemic likely to push 47 mn more women and girls into poverty
The Covid-9 pandemic will push 47 million more women and girls below the poverty line, reversing decades of progress to eliminate extreme poverty, according to new data of UN Women and UNDP.
The analysis, commissioned by UN Women and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), points to a 9.1 % increase in the poverty rate for women, said the brand new data released on Wednesday, reports UN News.
Ahead of COVID-19, the rate was likely to decrease by 2.7 per cent between 2019 and 2021.
The projections also show that as the pandemic will impact global poverty generally, women will be disproportionately affected, especially women of reproductive age.
By 2021, for each and every 100 men aged 25 to 34 residing in extreme poverty (living on $1.90 a day or less), you will have 118 women, a gap that is expected to increase to 121 women per 100 men by 2030.
Data summarized in the report, From Insights to Action: Gender Equality in the wake of COVID-19, also implies that COVID-19 will push 96 million into extreme poverty by 2021 - 47 million of whom are women and girls. This will boost the total number of these living in extreme poverty to 435 million, with projections indicating that number won't revert to pre-pandemic levels until 2030.
Women in the centre of recovery
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women Executive Director, said that the increases in women’s extreme poverty certainly are a “stark indictment of deep flaws” in the techniques society and the economy are structured.
“We know that women take the majority of the responsibility for looking after the family; they earn less, save less and hold much less secure jobs - actually, overall, women’s employment is 19 % more at risk than men’s."
She added that the data of multiple inequalities should now drive “swift, restorative policy action” that puts women in the centre of pandemic recovery.
Reducing gender inequality ‘affordable’
The pandemic poses a serious threat to eradicating extreme poverty by the end of 2030, and there are fears that the truth could possibly be worse, as the projections of increased poverty rates for women and girls only account for the downward revision of the gross domestic product (GDP), excluding other factors - such as for example women leaving the workforce because of childcare responsibilities.
According to Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, more than 100 million women and girls could possibly be lifted out of poverty if governments improve usage of education and family planning, fair and equal wages, and expand social transfers.
“Women are bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 crisis because they are more likely to reduce their income source and less likely to be included in social protection measures”, he said.
“Buying reducing gender inequality isn't only smart and affordable, but also an urgent choice that governments could make to reverse the impact of the pandemic on poverty reduction,” he added.
Action needed now
While its findings are alarming, the study estimates it could take just 0.14 % of global GDP (about $2 trillion) to lift the world out of extreme poverty by 2030; and $48 billion to close the gender poverty gap.
However, if governments neglect to act or act too late the true number could conclude higher. Similarly, increases in other pre-existing gender inequalities may possibly also impact the final figures.
For instance, women employed in some of the sectors most damaged by the pandemic, such as for example hospitality, food services, and domestic services, are particularly susceptible to layoffs and lack of livelihood.
