Of the over 7 billion people on earth, women account for more than half of that figure. Indeed, it is also the case that in most countries in the world, women once again make for a greater proportion of the population. Therefore, they are an indispensable demographic in the world going by their substantial representation in global populations. It would be sound to conclude that they should not be ignored and that they are heavily involved as key players in our ecosystem. Ironically, this has not been the state of affairs. Despite women being immensely felicitous in handling graving issues. A truth that has become clearer as the world grapples with a crisis that is COVID-19.
It is a fact of life that a bevy of countries credited with staging the best COVID-19 responses are led by women. The world witnessed as Angela Merkel of Germany, Sanna Marin from Finland and Jacinta Ardern in New Zealand almost seamlessly steward sail their countries through the ravaging pandemic storm. But to mention a few examples. In addition to this, women are worth their salt as trailblazers instigating change in various facets of society. As they take pivotal roles in activism. 18 year old Greta Thunberg has proven to youth that nobody is too young to take on a task as serious agitating for climate change. The same goes for Vanessa Nakate from Uganda. Tamika Mallory left the world in awe with a moving speech following the brutal murder of George Floyd in the United States. Etching her place as seminal part of the Black Lives Movement and a champion of social justice. Alaa Salah and Aisha Yesufu took up the mantle playing their part as influential protagonists of good governance in Sudan and Nigeria respectively.
Yet even with these inspiring illustrations of women taking up space for the good of society. Illustrations that are so relevant because they all fall within events that occurred in the past one year.
Women still remain a hugely ostracized lot in this modern day and age. Conservatively speaking, women spend three times as many hours on unpaid domestic work and care compared to men. This has been an enduring platitude that COVID-19 only exacerbated. Due to COVID-19 regulations that required people to stay at home, women have tremendously suffered Gender Based Violence and bore the short end of the stick in this regard.
Increased teenage pregnancies have skyrocketed the levels of truancy and school dropouts amongst our sisters. It is intriguing that whereas consensual sex is a choice and menstruation a biological obligation for women, contraceptives are free but not sanitary pads. Thereby only heightening the vulnerability of women living in extreme poverty.
That said it goes without saying that women remaining largely under-represented in decision-making bodies across the globe. A paltry 22 countries have women as their Heads of State out of 193 countries. Only 24.9 per cent of national parliamentarians are women. At the current rate of progress, gender equality among Heads of Government will take another 130 years. Perpetual unequal pay is also a problem. Women are also at the forefront of the battle against COVID-19, as front-line and health sector workers, as scientists, doctors and caregivers, yet they get paid 11 per cent less globally than their male counterparts. An analysis of COVID-19 task teams from 87 countries found only 3.5 per cent of them had gender parity.
These are some of the pressing issues which will be dissected and canvassed. As we brainstorm on ways of reinstating women in their rightful status in society. Which is of course as equal series. This webinar will as well be in line with SDG 5, 1 and 10 thus playing a critical role in contributing to the enhancements of these global goals. Pertinent to today’s problems, it will seek to divulge how these solutions can be applied in a COVID-19 world and beyond. Consequently, contributing to the UN’s rallying cry for generational equality under the hashtag #ActForEqual.