ABSTRACT

Using data from Rapid Gender Assessment Surveys investigating the socioeconomic consequences of COVID-19 on women’s and men’s lives, this study assesses whether the pandemic threatens fragile gains on gender equality in paid and unpaid work. Evidence from eleven countries in Asia-Pacific indicates that the impact of the pandemic goes far beyond health consequences. With children out of school, intensified care needs of elderly and ill family members, and labor markets in turmoil, demands for unpaid domestic and care work have increased substantially. Results show that women are disproportionately shouldering the burden of unpaid care and domestic work triggered by the lockdowns, and they are losing their livelihoods faster than men. Worsening mental health also emerges as a critical area affecting women disproportionately. These findings inform emergency responses for a gender-sensitive recovery, and underscore the need to take radical, positive actions to redress long-standing inequalities in multiple areas of women’s lives.

HIGHLIGHTS

• UN Women’s Rapid Gender Assessments (RGAs) gave early insights into COVID-19 impacts.

• Asia-Pacific RGAs show that the crisis had dramatic socioeconomic impacts on women.

• Women are more likely to experience loss in paid work hours than men.

• Women and men are doing more unpaid domestic and care work, but women take on the larger share.

• The emotional and mental health impact of the pandemic is disproportionately falling on women.

• More gender-responsive surveys and quality administrative sources are needed.

摘要

本研究使用快速性别评估调查的数据调查了COVID-19对男女生活的社会经济影响，从而评估了该流行病是否威胁着有偿和无偿工作中两性平等的脆弱增长。亚太地区11个国家的证据表明，大流行的影响远远超出了健康后果。随着儿童失学，老年人和病残家庭成员的加护需求以及动荡的劳动力市场，对无偿家务和护理工作的需求已大大增加。结果表明，由于封锁而使妇女承担了无偿照料和家务劳动的不成比例的负担，她们的生计比男子快。日益恶化的心理健康也日益成为影响妇女的重要领域。

强调

• 联合国妇女快速性别评估（RGA）早期了解了COVID-19的影响。

• 亚太地区的RGA显示，这场危机对妇女产生了巨大的社会经济影响。

• 女性比男性更有可能遭受带薪工作时间的损失。

• 男性和女性正在从事更多的无偿家务和护理工作，但女性所占的份额更大。

• 大流行对情感和心理健康的影响不成比例地落在妇女身上。

• 需要更多的对性别敏感的调查和高质量的行政资源。