Women have long struggled to have a place and a voice in our society, and it was only through the recent years that women have slowly made progress and have gradually carved a path for themselves. However, even though they have been making remarkable leaps to break gender-based discrimination, new struggles and challenges have come brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a recent 2020 survey regarding the labor force, it was found out that the number of women participating in the labor force is decreasing due to the fact that it is them who are mostly being forced out of their work as compared to men.[1] Aside from losing their jobs, one US study showed that gender wage gaps have widened as women experience a decrease in their wages.[2] The decrease in the participation of women in the labor force gave birth to a new term called “shecession”, because of how the global pandemic has hurt more women than men.[3] This ‘shecession’ forced women to either render less hours of work or resign from their jobs to attend to their household, as it they who are often in charge of keeping the household in order. [4]

The ‘shecession’ brought about by the pandemic, has not only affected women’s careers and the labor force but have also taken a toll on their nutrition and health. With family income becoming smaller and with women usually in charge of food management and nutrition in their own households, women are forced to adopt drastic measures like “eating less or eating last” which eventually would have an effect on their health and their immune system. [5]

         Women’s economic empowerment have been affected in more ways than we can imagine during this pandemic. With the majority of sectors in the society being predominated by women, it is inconceivable that women bear the brunt of the threats and impacts of pandemic – home care, disruption in income, and continuance of education for their children. The decreased income of women will also affect access to available health care and eventually, negatively impact both the mother and the child’s health. These disruptions also lead to domestic violence that have dramatically increased due to the lockdown measures that forced women to stay at home. Although the pandemic is a health crisis, it is also a food and economic crisis.

The pandemic only exacerbated the underlying gender divide that women have been enduring for decades. Countries that have successfully stemmed the tide of COVID-19 are led by women.[6] All these sacrifices being made by women even amidst a global pandemic, have proven time and time again how resilient and courageous women can be to overcome gender-based discrimination. 

Milestones and breakthroughs have been achieved in the struggle for gender equality. From the first-time women were given the right to vote, to first woman to ever hold office in the US Supreme Court, the first woman to lead a communist country which have been long governed by men, to the first woman to and to many smaller unrecognized but great victories, nonetheless. There are many more firsts that are yet to be accomplished. However, path to genuine gender equality and women empowerment still has a long a way to go. It is time to break the norms. Let us put the perspectives of women in policy and decision-making. Equality begins with economic empowerment.