1.Increased unpaid care burden :
Due to school closures and restricted mobility, many women experienced increase unpaid care work responsibility, affecting their ability to engage in paid employment. Simultaneously, job loses of their male partners further increased their financial hardship.
2.Discrimination in employment :
Women faced various forms of discrimination in employment during the pandemic. They were more likely to be laid off or furloughed than men. Even those who retained their jobs often experienced pay cuts or reduced working hours.
3.Reduced mobility and access to services :
Lockdowns and movement restrictions limited women's mobility, which hinder their access to markets, financial institutions, and other services necessary for economic engagement. This diminished their earning capacity and access to livelihood opportunities.
4.Increased digital divide :
With a shift towards virtual platforms for income-generating activities, the digital divide affected women disproportionately. Many lacked the necessary technology or internet access to participate fully in online activities, exacerbating their economic vulnerability.
5.Exploitation in informal sector :
Women in the informal sector, such as street vendors of domestic workers, experienced significant hardships. They faced reduced customers, decreased demand for services, and uncertain working conditions. This contributed to their already precarious financial situation.
6.Diminished remittances:
Migrant workers often remit money back to families in rural areas . Due to job losses or challenges in movement during the pandemic, reduced remittances negatively impacted the household income of women left behind.
7.Increased reliance on exploitative microfinancing:
With a limited access to formal credit facilities, many women turned to unregulated or high-interest microfinancing schemes. This led to debt traps and vulnerabilities to economic abuse.
Addressing these new faces of economic abuse against women in India require a comprehensive approach that involves:
- Strong Legal Frameworks : Enhancing legislative measures to protect women's economic rights and provide avenues for redress in cases of economic abuse.
- Gender-Responsive Policies: Implementing policies that prioritize gender equality in employment, access to credit, and support for unpaid care work.
- Digital Inclusion: Bridging the digital divide through initiatives that ensure women's access to technology, training, education and digital literacy.
- Financial Empowerment: Expanding financial literacy programs, and promoting microfinance institutions that offer fair interest rates and responsible lending practices.
- Safe working environments : Enforcing health and safety regulation to protect women from exploitative working conditions.
By addressing these issues, India can move toward a more equitable economic landscape that safeguards women from the vulnerabilities exacerbated by the COVID-19 Pandemic and empowers them to achieve their full economic potential.
