All over the world, the spread of COVID-19 has caused massive devastation and drastically changed the way people went about their daily lives. The second wave of the pandemic is just as worrisome as the first. Millions of lives lost, systems ceased and economies declined and amidst all this, a huge number of men and women remain unemployed.
More men are appointed to full-time jobs and in return have left an estimated 19,000 part-time jobs vacant. This lead to women struggling to find work that would give them a sense of security and stability in these physically and emotionally exhausting and troubling times.
Executive Director of First Work said, “Tourism and hospitality are both sectors that provide key opportunities to young people, particularly young women. Women are also taking on child care and other caregiving activities at rates higher than men, speaking to societal inequities which still need to be overcome.”
She added, “With recovery projects focused on infrastructure and capital, women are inherently at a disadvantage in that labor market as gender bias and previous work experience favors male candidates.”
In the month of November, teenagers and adolescents from 15 and up had more than 20,000 jobs in hand which according to reports indicates an increase of approximately 0.9% however, due to the current situation the youth unemployment rate dropped to 17.4 % points.
It also showcases to consistently be on a down by 1/3rd in culture and recreation sectors and by 1/4th in hoteling, food services, and accommodation as nations fight to face this horrendous disease again.
Young females constitute a large portion of the workforce that provides services and deals with customers particularly in restaurants, bars, franchises, and merchandise shops.
Various states and municipalities have imposed restrictions and limited outdoor activities. Because of multiple SOPs and health protocols in place these individuals are finding it extremely hard to look for jobs and retain their positions.
The government needs to take some much needed and essential initiatives to invest in the future of women who are shouldered with the responsibility of running their households and looking after families and prioritize expanding and offering them more options. This will not only bring benefits for them but also aid in boosting a heavily deprived and virus stricken economy.