COVID-19 crisis and women in Asia

The paper provides a snapshot of gender inequality in Thailand that has been exacerbated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The expansion of the gender justice movement requires inclusivity, with strengthened spaces for gender and sexually-diverse groups, increased youth representation, and active participation of men in dialogues for a more comprehensive and effective approach. Drawing from the lessons learned from COVID-19, the paper calls for a multifaceted strategy to achieve gender justice in Thailand.

The paper is based on an extensive desk research of relevant studies that take stock of the impact of the pandemic on women and girls and presents a comprehensive snapshot. Drawing references from the COVID-19 crisis, it calls for an intersectional gender-based policy approach to address the vulnerabilities of women and girls in Pakistan and protect them from any economic, psychological and physical impacts of the any crises in the future.

The fourth paper in our series highlights and celebrates the work of Asian feminist grassroots organizations in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Authors Fiona Vaz, Peny Rahmadhani and Rizki Amalia Affiat call for direct, sustainable, and meaningful participation of women’s organizations at all levels.

The third paper in this series assesses how the pandemic has accelerated digitalisation processes, especially in sectors that have a predominately female workforce. The study explores inequalities in access to technology by women workers and identifies factors that reinforce inequalities in context of digitalisation. Moreover, it takes stock of good practices of trade unions, informal workers’ associations, women’s rights organizations, governments, and other stakeholders that enable women to harness the benefits of digitalisation and minimize negative effect. The authors, Rosalinda Ofreneo and Benjamin Velasco, call for a stronger regulation of big tech firms and for measures to advance gender equality in the digital economy.

The second paper in the series explores the impacts of COVID-19 in three areas: gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and unpaid care work. Covering six countries – India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam – the report highlights the interconnectedness of the challenges faced by women and calls for a holistic gender-responsive approach based on a multi-sector analysis of the pandemic. The study outlines women’s context specific needs and provides recommendations to mitigate effects as well as to prepare for possible future crises.