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Katrín Jakobsdóttir highlights COVID-19 gender equality concerns

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Katrín Jakobsdóttir highlights COVID-19 gender equality concerns

Source: Grapevine

The Icelandic Prime Minister, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, participated in a UN conference on the impact of COVID-19 on gender equality and the status of women, Fréttablaðið reports. She highlighted the increased risk of domestic violence, the pivotal role women play in the healthcare system and the additional economic and social pressures women are facing during the pandemic.

UN Women and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development brought together 30 female leaders from governments and charitable organisations across the globe to discuss gender equality in relation to COVID-19. The event was conducted as a remote video conference and Katrín featured as a keynote speaker.

The participants were in agreement that gender equality should be central to governments’ responses to the pandemic. As Katrín put it, “it is important that we have a gender perspective as a guiding principle in our response to the COVID-19 epidemic and ensure that this crisis does not backfire on gender equality.” The UN Secretariat General, António Guterres, recently declared that the pandemic is exacerbating existing gender inequalities, especially in the labour market, meaning women are worst hit by the social and economic impact of the crisis.

Click here to read the full article published by Grapevine on 21 April 2020.

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UN Women
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The Icelandic Prime Minister, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, participated in a UN conference on the impact of COVID-19 on gender equality and the status of women, Fréttablaðið reports. She highlighted the increased risk of domestic violence, the pivotal role women play in the healthcare system and the additional economic and social pressures women are facing during the pandemic.

UN Women and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development brought together 30 female leaders from governments and charitable organisations across the globe to discuss gender equality in relation to COVID-19. The event was conducted as a remote video conference and Katrín featured as a keynote speaker.

The participants were in agreement that gender equality should be central to governments’ responses to the pandemic. As Katrín put it, “it is important that we have a gender perspective as a guiding principle in our response to the COVID-19 epidemic and ensure that this crisis does not backfire on gender equality.” The UN Secretariat General, António Guterres, recently declared that the pandemic is exacerbating existing gender inequalities, especially in the labour market, meaning women are worst hit by the social and economic impact of the crisis.

Click here to read the full article published by Grapevine on 21 April 2020.

Region
Partner
UN Women
Focus areas