IWD 2022 - International relations

According to the United Nations (UN), gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. There has been?progress?over the last decades: More girls are going to school, fewer girls are forced into early marriage, more women are serving in parliament and positions of leadership, and laws are being reformed to advance gender equality.?

Despite these gains, many?challenges?remain: discriminatory laws and social norms remain pervasive, women continue to be underrepresented at all levels of political leadership, and?1 in 5 women and girls between the ages of 15 and 49 report experiencing physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner within a 12-month period.

Education strengthens the position of women and girls. Population growth, which has been constantly increasing globally over many years, has stopped. It's good for the planet. It is good for women and girls in the same way as societies based on values that promote the rights and place of women and girls in a broad sense. There must continue to be a strong focus on women's right to their own bodies, on motherhood and childhood in conflict-affected areas – and on solidarity between women and men across borders and cultures.

The effects of?the COVID-19 pandemic could reverse the limited progress?that has been made on gender equality and women’s rights.??The coronavirus outbreak?exacerbates existing inequalities?for women and girls across every sphere – from health and the economy, to security and social protection.?

Women play a disproportionate role in responding to the virus, including as frontline healthcare workers and carers at home. Women’s unpaid care work has increased significantly as a result of school closures and the increased needs of older people. Women are also harder hit by the economic impacts of COVID-19, as they disproportionately work in insecure labour markets. Nearly 60 per cent of women work in the informal economy, which puts them at greater risk of falling into poverty.?

The pandemic has also led to a steep increase in?violence against women and girls.?With lockdown measures in place,?many women are trapped at home with their abusers, struggling to access services that are suffering from cuts and restrictions. Emerging data shows that, since the outbreak of the pandemic, violence against women and girls – and particularly domestic violence – has intensified.

On the positive side some women are feeling cautiously positive about opportunities for businesses to harness lessons from Covid-19 to improve working environments in ways that can boost gender equality. One very obvious solution is flexibility, a notion that was not backed by many businesses pre-pandemic, which has now become key. If done right, flexible working will have the potential to be a game-changer for women's careers. For many women, not having to commute during the pandemic, has given them more options for how to structure their days, which can help them boost productivity while maintaining a good work-life blend.

But business leaders need to do more to create a culture in which increased flexibility and remote working opportunities can thrive in the long run. It is not enough just saying that it is okay to be flexible; actively model that behaviour and make it okay for people to take time off, extend deadlines so that there’s longer to complete work.

There is also potential for a massive change across the board in the corporate landscape. Firms can create “blanket rules” for employees, arguing that Covid-19 has forced us all to think more about people’s personal circumstances and what they need to work effectively. While some may be coping with childcare demands, others may be living alone, looking after older family members, or managing long-distance relationships, which all have their own unique set of challenges. Everyone has their own experiences. We must get curious and ask questions and challenge assumptions of what the ‘home’ looks like.

However, many are concerned that progress might not be as speedy as optimists hope, especially for women in roles outside the corporate world and those who may be experiencing additional entrenched social inequities connected to factors such as class or ethnic background.