Gender equality efforts affected by Covid-19

Although existing health data shows that men are more likely to die from the Covid-19 virus, the pandemic is triggering a mental health crisis, especially among women. Photo: AFP

The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a disproportionate toll on women, according to a report by UN Women. The report, Unlocking the Lockdown: The Gendered Effects of COVID-19 on Achieving the SDGs in Asia and the Pacific, suggests that women have shouldered most of the burden as unpaid essential service workers with 63% of women seeing increases in their time spent working (compared to 55% of men) since the outbreak.

In a statement released recently, UN Women said that Covid-19 may just be reversing the hard-won gains Asia-Pacific has made in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).