Women trade union leaders across the world have joined the conversation on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women workers in a webinar held on 19 May. Discussions were held in 5 languages and gathered over 350 participants.
Nine global unions are involved in this world debate - the International Trade Union Confederation, IndustriALL, UNI Global, International Transport Workers' Federation, Public Services International, Education International, International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations, International Domestic Workers Federation and the IFJ.
Speakers illustrated how women continue to be disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 crisis across sectors and how the pandemic has amplifieed pre-existing gender gaps in the world of work . The lack of women's representation in leading roles across sectors and patriarchal attitudes were denounced as reasons for growing inequalities.
"We don't need women in the room, we need to be at the table", said Michelle Myers from ITF, the transport workers's Federation.
IFJ Gender Council chair Maria Angeles Samperio introduced the results of the latest IFJ survey on the impact of COVID-19 on journalists' working conditions. She stressed how women have been deeply impacted by the pandemic, especially by an increase of anxiety and stress.
She pointed at the challenges facing women journalists who have to reconcile work and private life in these difficult times and recalled that women make up 60% of editorial teams in Spain, among whom many are young women with children at home.
The next webinar: “Stopping gender-based violence in the midst of a pandemic” will be held on Tuesday 2nd June 2020 from 14.00 CEST to 15.30 CEST