2020 Women’s Economic Security Statement

The Government is due to announce a new 2020 Women’s Economic Security Statement (WESS) following this week’s federal budget.

The WESS provides another opportunity to critically examine the gendered impact of COVID-19 and the public health response.  Women were already responsible for a disproportionate amount of unpaid care work – invisible work underpinning our economy – but the pandemic has led to a significant increase in this burden on women.

Strengthening women’s economic security and ‘getting women back to work’ must reflect an understanding that, for the most part, women didn’t stop working during the pandemic.  Their unpaid work burden increased.

The government’s recovery plan should address the need to distribute unpaid care more evenly amongst men and women.

Read the story by ‘The Age’ here ➡️ https://bit.ly/3nfhrfP