Overrepresented in the medical professions, women have been on the front lines in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. But because they occupy more precarious jobs than men, they are also the first to suffer from the economic shock caused by the health crisis.

The pandemic could jeopardize the progress made over the past three decades to reduce their economic gap with men, warned Tuesday, July 21 the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, in a forum co-signed with three senior IMF officials .

Eurostat statistics for the month of May in the euro area already show an impact on the economic situation of women, since their unemployment rate has climbed to 7.9% from 7.7% in April, while it remains unchanged at 7.0% for men. Céline Piques, economist and president of Dare Feminism !, is worried about the months to come.

Women's careers impacted

"We saw during the confinement quite sexist reflexes to organize themselves in the family organization, as for the care of the children which was largely assumed by the women", underlines the activist contacted by France 24.

It is based on a study carried out by the CGT union, revealing that the closure of schools had resulted in an excess of domestic and parenting tasks for women. Some 43% of those polled spent more than four hours of overtime per day looking after their children, compared to 26% of men polled.

However, certain measures have helped to mitigate the negative effects of the crisis on women, such as sick leave extended to parents affected by school closures. A measure applauded by Kristalina Georgieva and the IMF.

"It was necessary", believes Céline Piques who welcomes this device, while recalling that paradoxically, it has largely benefited men. In the same situation, the majority of women - 70% - have used this childcare sick leave. 

“The impact will be felt when they have to negotiate increases,” explains Céline Piques. "Anyone who has teleworked for several months and who participated in the life of the company will be privileged over the one who had to benefit from the childcare work stoppage." 

In the research sector, the effects have already been felt. The number of publications by female scientific researchers fell drastically during the lockdown, while male researchers published more than usual. "These researchers were undoubtedly able to work while their spouse took care of their children", summarizes Céline Piques. "Unfortunately, on a CV it leaves traces and impacts the careers of women, not to mention those who could not devote time to their job search, or even those who lost their job."

Great precariousness feared for single mothers

The activist alerts more particularly to the situation of single mothers. In France, a third of single-parent families live below the poverty line, and in 85% of cases it is mothers who have custody of the children. 

"The most precarious, like the cashiers, lost their jobs during confinement, for lack of being able to go to work, because they had to take care of the children alone," explains Céline Piques. For these women, the economic crisis is already a reality. "There are many testimonies from women who suffered tremendously during confinement, not being able to feed their children." These women risk finding themselves once again on the front line if the deterioration of the economic situation announced by the experts for this fall takes place, not to mention a re-containment envisaged in the worst case scenario. 

With AFP

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