Pandemic has worsened gender inequality in India, says Oxfam

News: Oxfam has released a report titled worsened gender inequality Report 2020 — On Women’s Back”.

Facts:

• About the report: The report is based on data and responses collected from urban and rural women in New Delhi and Rajasthan in the past year.

Key Takeaways:

• Covid-19 induced inequality: The onset of the covid-19 pandemic may have worsened gender inequality between men and women in terms of income and time in India given their roles in society as “breadwinner men” and “caregiver women.”
• Unpaid Work: Women and Girls in India put in 3.26 billion hours of unpaid care work each and every day.It is equivalent to the contribution of ₹19 lakh crore (trillion) a year to the Indian economy.
• Women’s Contribution to GDP: In India, women’s contribution to the GDP is one of the lowest in the world at 17%.On the Other hand, in China women’s work contributes to 41% of the GDP.

Recommendations:

• Provide public amenities and services for women to realize their rights to rest, leisure and equal participation in the labour market.
• Offer decent local employment, better working conditions and fair pay for women and men.
• Initiate gender sensitization and behaviour-change strategies in schools and colleges, specifically messaging of redistribution of care work.
• Run public campaigns on progressive models of masculinity and femininity, based on de-gendered labour within and outside the household.