THE GENDERED IMPACT OF COVID-19

31 May 2020 10:39 AM | Jean Murray (Administrator)

ABC journalist Annabel Crabb opines that Coronavirus has left Australian women anxious, overworked, insecure — and worse off than men again. Women right now are more likely to lose work that is paid and also more likely to pick up work that is unpaid.

Professor Lyn Craig’s research into the gendered division of labour in the home during the COVID-19 lockdown indicates that, for households with children, social isolation and school closures have added 6 hours a day of care work, of which women are taking on 4 hours.

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency is monitoring the impacts of covid19 on women in Australia. They are finding that COVID-19 may have greater economic, health and safety impacts on women: women at home are at greater risk of violence; a predominantly female healthcare workforce has placed women on the frontlines of the crisis; and the increase in caring responsibilities is likely to be shouldered by women.

But a potential positive outcome: workplace flexibility may change ongoing workplace policies and practices; while working from home, under-employment and unemployment might see men taking on more care and domestic work at home.

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