Women and Pandemic-NETRI Foundation-Report

(Click on the headline (above) to download and read the full report)

On the Women’s political empowerment day, which is also the National Panchayat Raj Day, 24th April, 2019, we launched our report on Women and Pandemic with policy suggestions for the policymakers.
Our policy recommendations also align with the UN Women recommendations on the matter.
“Women and Pandemic” was hosted online on 11th April 2020 and witnessed a participation of around 70 people.

The importance of devolution of powers and resources to the Panchayats came out as an important recommendation given one of our panellists was Ms. Ritu Jaiswal, who is a sarpanch/mukhiya/village head of a small village in Bihar. Her handle over the migrant crisis to prevent the spreading of the virus, her relief work, and the approach to empower women during this lockdown through local manufacturing of masks is inspirational.

Ruha Shadab, who is a physician brought to light the underlying societal norms which play as a disadvantage against women’s immune system which is comparatively stronger than men. She also spoke about the funnelling of women from the entry-level jobs to the decision making roles at the top.

Abhiruchi Chatterjee emphasised on the need of gender budgeting, gender-sensitive workplaces, gender-audits and presented views on domestic violence and unpaid care work performed by women.