Gender Gaps in Eurasia: The daunting effects of COVID-19

COVID-19 has triggered an economic and public health crisis that has exacerbated gender gaps worldwide – and countries in the EaP region and Central Asia are no exception. First estimates show that the pandemic could set progress towards gender equality in the region back 15 years. A variety of gender gaps – pay, poverty, access to finance, digitalisation – appear to be growing:

• Access to sexual and reproductive health services for women has become more difficult
• Women across Eurasia have been facing increased levels of domestic violence.
• Women in Eurasia tend to be disproportionately employed in harder-hit or vulnerable sectors, such as textiles, food services and accommodation, leading to greater reductions in pay and employment.
• The domestic care burden, traditionally taken up by women, has greatly increased as a result of measures taken to contain the spread of the virus.

At the same time, women in the region often have fewer resources with which to cushion the adverse effects of the pandemic and a much more limited voice in public and private decision-making. In both public and private spheres, key decision-making roles are overwhelmingly held by men, and indicators of financial literacy and labour-market opportunity point to continuing barriers that women face. Yet women must have a strong role in shaping post-crisis policies if we are to ensure an inclusive recovery for women and men alike. The evidence of past crises shows how their exclusion from decision-making can warp recovery policies, often resulting in significant gaps.