The pandemic is taking more work overload for women worldwide. And that, of course, can make their lives even more difficult, in addition to accentuating the effects of gender inequality. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN body responsible for population issues, made the alert.
Women in the pandemic: workload is even greater
In Brazil, especially, this warning about work overload makes perfect sense. 2019 IBGE data indicate that domestic work and, consequently, the double shift fall mainly on women in the family. The survey found that, on average, women devote 18.5 hours a week to household chores and care for people like children and the elderly. The average of men is almost half – just 10.3 hours per week spent on these activities.
It is not difficult to understand what is happening now, in this time of pandemic. Many families have been at home for over a hundred days. That is, in practical terms, this means many meals to cook, a lot of dishes to wash, many spaces to clean. Not to mention that, with the closing of schools, it is necessary to take care of the little ones full time, including helping their online learning, when it is the case, and discovering new ways to entertain them.
Why workload is greater for women
Unfortunately, this whole burden falls mainly on women, who in most cases are responsible for carrying out domestic tasks.
To complete the account, many of them are working from home office. That is, they have to deal with the new form of distance work to be productive even in a non-professional environment in which all family members are living intensely. At the same time, they have to cope with more responsibilities and domestic activities.
Gender inequality gets more intense right now
We know very well that gender inequality is not new in Brazil. On the contrary, it is history and rooted in our culture. However, as the UNFPA warns, the pandemic is clearly intensifying its effects and possibly will still have more complicated consequences for women who are most affected at this time.
The change, in this case, needs to start at home. If the tasks are better divided, the routine will become less heavy. Come on? ?
