WEF: COVID-19 pandemic pushes back gender parity by a generation

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the push towards gender parity, with a recent report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) indicating that another generation of women may have to wait an additional 36 years to close the gender gap. This setback has pushed the estimated time for achieving gender equality in South Africa to a staggering 135.6 years. Dr. Vassiliki Racheva, the lead at WEF Center for New Economy and Society, highlighted the significant challenges faced by women as a result of the pandemic during a recent interview on CNBC Africa. According to Dr. Racheva, the report highlights the lack of progress in closing the gender gaps across economic participation, education, health, and political representation over the past 15 years. The report underscores the urgent need for comprehensive efforts to address these disparities and accelerate progress towards gender equality. One of the key points raised in the interview is the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on different sectors of the economy, affecting men and women in distinct ways. As economies strive to recover from the crisis, it is essential to consider the uneven effects of the pandemic on various industries and to build recovery packages that take these disparities into account. Dr. Racheva emphasized the importance of looking towards the future and creating opportunities in high-growth sectors to promote gender equality. Highlighting the global perspective on gender parity, Dr. Racheva emphasized the need for countries to implement policies that promote equal redistribution of care responsibilities and create a supportive environment for women's participation in the workforce. Drawing lessons from high-performing economies like Iceland, she stressed the importance of investing in care infrastructure and ensuring a more equitable distribution of caregiving responsibilities between men and women. Turning to the situation in Sub-Saharan Africa, the report revealed that the region faces significant challenges in closing the gender gap, with an estimated 121.7 years required to achieve gender parity. Dr. Racheva noted that countries like Togo, which have made substantial progress towards gender equality, provide valuable examples of effective strategies. These include closing education gender gaps and fostering gender-inclusive political and economic environments. Dr. Racheva also underscored the critical role of political will and government leadership in driving progress towards gender parity. While some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have shown dedication to advancing gender equality, there is a need for a concerted global effort to accelerate progress and set clear targets for closing gender gaps. Collaboration between the public and private sectors is essential to mobilize resources and drive meaningful change. In line with the WEF's commitment to promoting gender equality, Dr. Racheva highlighted the importance of partnerships and collaborations in reducing the time lag towards achieving gender parity. Initiatives such as the Reskilling Revolution platform, which aims to reskill individuals for the jobs of the future, provide opportunities for organizations to mainstream gender targets and drive collective efforts towards gender equality. As the world continues to grapple with the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the urgent need to address gender disparities and advance towards gender parity has never been more critical. With concerted efforts and collaborative initiatives, there is hope for a more equal and inclusive future for women around the world.