When it comes to economic equality in Australia, the COVID-19 pandemic has turned what was already a gendered gap between women and men into a gaping chasm.
Women have lost more jobs and working hours since March 2020 than men. The economic sectors primarily occupied by women are among the most poorly paid, the most casualised and the most vulnerable to the unique circumstances of the pandemic. Meanwhile, we’re more dependent than ever on women’s care-giving, both paid and unpaid.
This panel discussion, presented in partnership with THE WHEELER CENTRE, explored these intersectional issues and discussed how they impact the daily lives of women.
How have women been coping with the crisis? What have been the flow-on effects in terms of women’s housing security, women’s health and the health and education of children? How have women shown cooperation, creativity and resilience in their handling of the new reality? Who’s falling through the cracks? And could this difficult historical moment bring an opportunity to build a better, more equitable, economy?