By: Chris Pike (OECD On The Level)
The unfolding health and economic consequences of the COVID-19 crisis have once again thrown the spotlight on the structural inequalities that women in our society face. As governments and societies reflect on how to recover from the crisis and build back better, OECD’s Chris Pike looks at the contribution gender inclusive competition policy could make.
While COVID-19 has proven more fatal for men, the economic harm has fallen disproportionally on women. There is a grave danger that its enduring legacy may be to set back progress towards gender equality by – yet another – generation.
During the crisis, many women have stood bravely (alongside men) on the frontline in hospitals, care homes, and testing centres, as well as in the supermarkets and schools that we rely upon more heavily than we ever realised. However, many others working in textiles, hospitality and other industries that have been disproportionately affected by the sharp and potentially persistent demand shock have lost their jobs. In addition, many women around the world have been forced to retreat from the workforce to provide unpaid child or elderly care and household work. Of those that have managed to remain, many will have seen their career progression slowed as short-sighted, unenlightened managers become frustrated at even their best attempts to balance work and family life in the context a dramatic and total withdrawal of state support for families. Most will have had to use reduced household incomes to pay higher prices for basic necessities for their families. Furthermore, we can expect that those women brave enough to look towards starting a new business in the aftermath of the crisis will face the usual iniquitous access to credit and investment…
