Write a paper on the Coronavirus pandemic worsens gender balance.Some women have been forced to quit their jobs so they can take care of their family better. Some women who left their work temporarily face bleak job prospects, Ms. Gutierrez said. Many of them might have to return to lower skilled and lower paid jobs, she added. On the bright side, the pandemic showcased women’s contribution in fighting the pandemic, particularly healthcare frontliners and workers in the retail industry, Ms. Verceles said. “We need to recognize that women are playing significant roles in responding to the pandemic, including as frontliners and elected officials,” she said. “They are overworked and underpaid and they are still waiting for their hazard pay.” Ms. Verceles also noted how women in the family are tapping their cooking and baking skills to help augment the family income. On the leadership front, she noted how some economies with female leaders demonstrated good pandemic management including Taiwan and New Zealand, which are led by Tsai Ing-Wen and Jacinda Ardern. The government should ensure inclusive recovery by taking into account the fact that men and women are affected differently by the pandemic, Ms. Gutierrez said. Policy makers should craft recovery plans that are gender-sensitive, including support for childcare facilities, she added. More women in government could help address the gender gap, Marikina Rep. Stella Luz A. Quimbo said in a Viber message. The lawmaker, who is a member of the House of Representatives Committee on Women and Gender Equality, said only 28% of House lawmakers and only seven of 24 senators are women. “Sadly, both houses of Congress still fall short of having that 30% critical mass mentioned by some scholars, much less equal, 50-50 representation,” she said. The House is discussing a bill on gender responsive and inclusive pandemic management, which seeks to ensure mechanisms are in place to help women deal with job loss and business closures, reproductive health, economic empowerment and security against gender violence. “It’s high time to consider subsidizing childcare facilities in ensuring women’s continued participation in the workforce and in adapting to the needs of this pandemic,” Ms. Gutierrez said. Women should also be given wider access to capital to help them set up their own small businesses, Ms. Verceles said. “We want to pull women out of that rut where they only do work and earn enough to meet their daily needs, and not to save,” she said. In the end, mothers can only dream of better days ahead not just for themselves but also for their children.
