As the COVID-19 virus is spreading throughout the world and governments are scaling up containment efforts, PES Women stands in solidarity with the women who are carrying the bulk of this crisis.

PES Women President, Zita Gurmai said:  

“COVID-19 is a threat to all of us, but it also exacerbates existing gender inequalities. All over Europe, we are hearing heart-warming calls for solidarity with the most vulnerable people in our communities. Let’s extend that solidarity also to the women shouldering the heavy burden of caring for the sick, the young and the vulnerable. We are not yet seeing enough action to address the gendered impacts of the pandemic. We have to make sure to speak up about these issues, to put the necessary political, social and economic infrastructures in place to support women in this crisis but also to install prevention mechanisms for upcoming ones.”

Women are disproportionately represented in professions where exposure to the virus is high, such as nurses, nursing home staff, flight attendants, cashiers, teachers and service industry workers.  According to the World Health Organization, women make up 70% of the global health and social workforce. The corona-crisis puts women at disproportionate risk, not just of exposure to the virus but also economically. With threats of an economic downturn looming, women with low-income and precarious jobs may also be affected long-term by the economic fallout from the crisis.

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