Making a statement on the occasion of August 26 Women’s Equality Day, Escarus Sustainability Consultancy General Manager Dr. Kavak has underlined that women have been more affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Undertaking projects to support gender equality, Escarus (TSKB* Sustainability Consultancy Inc.) has released a statement on the occasion of August 26 Women’s Equality Day. The statement signed by General Manager Dr. Kubilay Kavak has raised concerns about the dimensions of gender inequality and what steps need to be taken about it.

“Workers of service industry are mostly women”

Dr. Kavak has noted that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, which has deeply affected the whole world, and the ensuing long-term period of isolation and quarantine have affected women more deeply.

Referring to data produced by research institutes from around the world, international organizations and public institutions, Kavak has said that according to these data, women as already one of the most vulnerable groups of society have been affected more by the pandemic.

“70 percent of healthcare and service sector workers, whose work conditions have got harder in the course of the outbreak, are women across the world,” he has said, briefly adding the following:

“With several companies adopting a model of working from home and suspension of schools, adult workers and children have stayed home, which has increased the responsibilities of the women majority who do free care and household chores inside the home.

“In addition to all these, the statistics show that domestic violence has intensified with the impact of the quarantine.”

“Women must have an equal place in society”

Dr. Kavak has stressed that the negative effects caused by gender inequality have become more visible in periods of crises such as this.

According to Kavak, before the outbreak of the pandemic, climate change, obstacles to economic participation, inability to access safe food and a lack of women’s representation in politics were affecting progress in terms of gender equality. However, “the outbreak, which has caused a global shock both socially and economically, has further underlined the dependence on women in society’s struggle against the virus.”

“The structural inequalities faced by women in all areas of life, from healthcare to social security, from security to economy, have become more visible. The quick and direct steps to be taken to prevent the negative effects unproportionally suffered by women are of utmost importance.

“The need for women to have a more powerful and equal place in society is an issue to be addressed not only during the pandemic but all the time.”