ver the past few years, the world has been devastated by COVD-19—economies ground to a halt, jobs were lost, supply chains crumbled, and life dramatically changed for everyone, especially women. Women lost more jobs, took on more unpaid care responsibilities, and were pushed into poverty and hunger at greater rates than men. Just as economies around the world started to recover, Russia invaded Ukraine, upending the global order yet again, reversing the little recovery women had found. The forthcoming global food shortages as well as the fallout from the war will significantly impact women for years to come. Yet, life goes on and women around the world will continue to keep communities together in the face of turmoil despite the systemic disadvantages they face. Women’s resilience has played out in a number of important ways in recent years, including:
- Returning to work
Reports say the COVID-19 ‘she-session’ didn’t result in as many women permanently leaving the workforce as was originally thought. Both men and women lost their jobs during the pandemic and both men and women are now going back to work as countries’ economies recover. Men are returning to work in greater numbers than women, but women are returning even in the face of patriarchal societal norms that slowed their participation in the first place. While women are returning to work, they also continue to shoulder the vast majority of care responsibilities—up to ten times more than men. Women are caring for their families through both paid and unpaid labor and leading as primary caregivers. Unfair gender stereotypes require this of women, but women continue to show up for their families in times of need regardless of gender inequities.
- Continuing education
COVID-19 was devastating in many ways, but it was particularly detrimental for children and their education. Moving to online learning disrupted classrooms around the world, especially in low- and middle-income countries where low internet access and access to streaming devices increased the barriers to education. Yet, even when COVID-19 seriously impeded learning for children across the world, it was women and girls who continued to push for their right to education. For example, girls in Nepal, Somalia, and Kenya are continuing to learn, despite all of the reasons girls are unable to continue in school such as poverty, pregnancy, and oppressive gender norms. Even before COVID-19 and the many other challenges of the past few years, girls were facing these challenges head on and asserting their right to an education. Inequality in girl’s education negatively impacts the likelihood that they will not return to school, with an estimated 11 million not returning this year. However, girls around the world are fighting for and winning their right to return to school.
- Providing for families when food became scarce
Research tells us that when necessary, women sacrifice their own needs in order to provide food for their families. This has never been truer than in recent years as global supply chain disparities, COVID-19, and the war between Russian and Ukraine create a dire global hunger catastrophe. Yet, women are the solution to the world’ hunger problem. Women farmers have the power to eliminate hunger for 100-150 million people every year. Women invest in their families and reduce hunger and poverty—showing strength, empowerment, and resourcefulness in the face of many of the world’s most serious problems, inducing hunger.
- Fighting to protect their country
Across the world, all eyes are on Ukraine as Russia’s unprovoked attack continues into yet another month. The fighting in Ukraine has been brutal—resulting in war crimes and forcing as many as 6 million Ukrainians to flee their homes. The majority of people fleeing Ukraine are women, children, and the elderly—accounting for 90% of refugees. Even with the large numbers of women crossing the border, some are returning home and others are staying to fight. They are staying to protect their country’s sovereignty and standing up against an international bully, as they always have. War is often considered a man’s occupation, but women have always been, and always will be involved.
Women remain resilient in the face of crisis after crisis. Despite the very real barriers they face, women are fighting for their right to education, face the hunger crisis with solutions and providing for their families, and when faced with a critical decision, some are choosing to stay and defend their country in the face of tyranny. As former Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj once said, “Women are the backbone of the family and the bedrock of a nation.” Without women and their continued resilience, this world could not function. In wave after wave of disaster, women will always be there to put the pieces back together again.
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The Women Who Remained Resilient
Photo By Kuanish Reymbaev via Unsplash.
June 1, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have disproportionately impacted women. Despite this, women have continued to fight for their rights and pushed to shape the new normal, writes Diplomatic Courier Correspondent Coby Jones.
O
ver the past few years, the world has been devastated by COVD-19—economies ground to a halt, jobs were lost, supply chains crumbled, and life dramatically changed for everyone, especially women. Women lost more jobs, took on more unpaid care responsibilities, and were pushed into poverty and hunger at greater rates than men. Just as economies around the world started to recover, Russia invaded Ukraine, upending the global order yet again, reversing the little recovery women had found. The forthcoming global food shortages as well as the fallout from the war will significantly impact women for years to come. Yet, life goes on and women around the world will continue to keep communities together in the face of turmoil despite the systemic disadvantages they face. Women’s resilience has played out in a number of important ways in recent years, including:
- Returning to work
Reports say the COVID-19 ‘she-session’ didn’t result in as many women permanently leaving the workforce as was originally thought. Both men and women lost their jobs during the pandemic and both men and women are now going back to work as countries’ economies recover. Men are returning to work in greater numbers than women, but women are returning even in the face of patriarchal societal norms that slowed their participation in the first place. While women are returning to work, they also continue to shoulder the vast majority of care responsibilities—up to ten times more than men. Women are caring for their families through both paid and unpaid labor and leading as primary caregivers. Unfair gender stereotypes require this of women, but women continue to show up for their families in times of need regardless of gender inequities.
- Continuing education
COVID-19 was devastating in many ways, but it was particularly detrimental for children and their education. Moving to online learning disrupted classrooms around the world, especially in low- and middle-income countries where low internet access and access to streaming devices increased the barriers to education. Yet, even when COVID-19 seriously impeded learning for children across the world, it was women and girls who continued to push for their right to education. For example, girls in Nepal, Somalia, and Kenya are continuing to learn, despite all of the reasons girls are unable to continue in school such as poverty, pregnancy, and oppressive gender norms. Even before COVID-19 and the many other challenges of the past few years, girls were facing these challenges head on and asserting their right to an education. Inequality in girl’s education negatively impacts the likelihood that they will not return to school, with an estimated 11 million not returning this year. However, girls around the world are fighting for and winning their right to return to school.
- Providing for families when food became scarce
Research tells us that when necessary, women sacrifice their own needs in order to provide food for their families. This has never been truer than in recent years as global supply chain disparities, COVID-19, and the war between Russian and Ukraine create a dire global hunger catastrophe. Yet, women are the solution to the world’ hunger problem. Women farmers have the power to eliminate hunger for 100-150 million people every year. Women invest in their families and reduce hunger and poverty—showing strength, empowerment, and resourcefulness in the face of many of the world’s most serious problems, inducing hunger.
- Fighting to protect their country
Across the world, all eyes are on Ukraine as Russia’s unprovoked attack continues into yet another month. The fighting in Ukraine has been brutal—resulting in war crimes and forcing as many as 6 million Ukrainians to flee their homes. The majority of people fleeing Ukraine are women, children, and the elderly—accounting for 90% of refugees. Even with the large numbers of women crossing the border, some are returning home and others are staying to fight. They are staying to protect their country’s sovereignty and standing up against an international bully, as they always have. War is often considered a man’s occupation, but women have always been, and always will be involved.
Women remain resilient in the face of crisis after crisis. Despite the very real barriers they face, women are fighting for their right to education, face the hunger crisis with solutions and providing for their families, and when faced with a critical decision, some are choosing to stay and defend their country in the face of tyranny. As former Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj once said, “Women are the backbone of the family and the bedrock of a nation.” Without women and their continued resilience, this world could not function. In wave after wave of disaster, women will always be there to put the pieces back together again.
