It’s easy to claim that we already overcame the challenges of gender inequality. However, this pandemic highlighted the continuation of this problem. According to studies, most people who lost their jobs during the pandemic were women.
Women have been assets to different companies worldwide. Some even helped businesses grow from scratch. Women are also excellent speakers. They can make people listen. With the use of a projector on the ceiling, some women made the best speeches. Despite what women proved over the years, they were still the first to go during a crisis. It shouldn’t happen again, and there should be institutional changes. These are some ways to help women recover from job losses and allow them to do well in their respective careers.
Make child care services more affordable
Women shouldn’t have to make a difficult decision between earning money for the family and becoming a mother. They should have the chance to keep working while being an excellent parent. Child care services should be more affordable. The government should even provide more money to make child care services free. When mothers can feel confident about leaving their children for work, they won’t have to make a difficult decision anymore.
Companies must provide a more flexible work schedule
Companies should also understand that in most families, women are the homemakers. It’s an old set up, but it’s still happening. The least that the companies can do is to provide a more flexible work schedule. It allows women to take care of their children while running a powerful job. If female workers have to take leave to take care of their children, it should be possible. Paid maternity leave should also be longer.
End work discrimination
Some companies might say that work discrimination doesn’t happen. The truth is that it happens in many ways. Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination. Powerful men abuse their privilege and harass women in the workplace. Not receiving equal pay for equal work is also another sign of discrimination. These practices should end and not allowed to be the norm.
Give more women a seat at the table
Another reason why some companies can’t offer opportunities for women is that they don’t have more seats at the table. When more women make decisions, they can advocate for other women. They can also speak from the perspective of a woman. It’s terrible that in many companies, privileged men still have the final say about female workers’ fate.
Hopefully, this pandemic will end what many companies see as a norm. It could take time for women to recover from job losses, and everyone should do something about it. Women who chose to raise children should also have the chance to hold a powerful company post. Institutional barriers should go away. Male privilege should also end. If we can find a way to solve these issues, we can say that we live in a fair and equal society.
