Farhan Haq echoed a report from the International Labor Organization (ILO) indicating there will be 13 million fewer women employed in 2021 compared to 2019, while men´s employment rate will be recovered.

In addition, he stated, only 43.2% of the world’s working-age women will be employed in 2021, compared to 68.6% of men.

According to the ILO´s report, women have been suffering disproportionate employment openings and income due to their greater representation in most-hit sectors such as lodging and food services, as well as the manufacturing sector.

Meanwhile, the Americas experienced the greatest reduction in women’s employment (9.4%) as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to various UN agencies´ studies, the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed much more women into poverty, unemployment and also into less access to medical and educational services including sexual and reproductive health.

For such a reason, the UN urges to implement laws and policies to support women in leadership positions, and also address issues such as gender-based violence.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed that women must be at the center of the pandemic recovery and praised women´s contributions to fight Covid-19.

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