RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON GENDERED IMPACT OF COVID-19

RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON GENDERED IMPACT OF COVID-19

24. 7. 2020

RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON GENDERED IMPACT OF COVID-19

I. Representation of women in decision making in local, regional, national and european organizations solving the consequences of Covid-19. 

  • Ensure a balanced representation of women and men in all advisory bodies of the government to solve challenges of the Covid-19 crisis.
  • Ensure a balanced representation of women and men at the working group level (e.g. the National Economic Council - NERV) to address the social, economic and health situation due to the effects of the pandemic.

II. Support of women's rights NGO

  • Increase the subsidy of the program Support of the NNOs in the Field of Equality Between Women and Men announced by the Office of the Government.
  • Provide greater support for gender mainstreaming and support of the horizontal principle of equality between women and men in the new operational period of the European structural and investment funds (ESIF).

III. Attention to gender-based violence

  • Improve awareness of available services for survivors of violence.
  • Strengthen education, prevention and awareness projects for professionals and the public.
  • Ratify and implement the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence.

IV.Social and economical measures

  • Maintain support for measures to ensure quality and affordable care dependent person.
  • Adequate financial and societal valuation of employees in services (social, health, public). 
  • Adopt a law on the advance child maintenance to support single parents.
  • Expand the network of daycare centers to eliminate the dismissal of women with small children. 
  • Promote options aimed at care valuation within the reforme. pension system (according to the proposal of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs). 
  • Promote an even distribution of childcare in the home (e.g. nursing split between both parents).
  • Prevent the dismissal of women 40+ for caring for children over 13, and provide support of working from home.

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 JUSTIFICATION

  • 1/5 of women employed are in sectors that are worse affected by quarantine measures due to covid-19 (tourism, hospitality, retail, services.
  • 1/3 of the women work in the sectors involved in dealing with the impacts of the covid-19 pandemic - social and health services, education, public administration, including defense and security.
  • Women carry a higher share of care for children of all ages, as well as parents. Data on unemployment in the Czech Republic for April and May 2020 show a more significant increase in unemployment for women than for men, while in previous recessions it was usually the opposite.
  • The more significant increase is due to the unemployment of women over the age of 44. This large increase in the unemployment of older women increases the already higher risk that women of retirement age will fall into poverty.
  • Before the covid-19 crisis, mothers in the Czech Republic spent almost twice as much time caring for children as fathers. Even full-time women spent 50% more time caring for children than fathers full-time employment.
  • It is likely that the extra time needed to care for children as a result of the closing of schools and other facilities will be similarly unevenly distributed.

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