South-west females have been invited to share how the coronavirus outbreak has affected them financially.
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Women's Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West (WHWBSW), has organised a roundtable to discuss the ramifications on Wednesday, June 3.
Politicians and community leaders are among the invited guests to the online discussion 'Women's Economic Security: What has COVID-19 taught us'.
Speakers include one of Australia's leading economic visionaries Stephen Koukoulos and the chief executive officer of the state's peak body for gender equity, Tanja Kovac, of GenVic.
These experts will share ways in which the pandemic has highlighted the economic burden women face upholding the nation's 'invisible unpaid work' in home and caring roles; the overrepresentation of women in insecure, low- paid work and the undervaluing of female-dominated industries.
WHWBSW chief executive officer Emma Mahony said the information could be used to "reimagine" actions to lift the economic status and financial wellbeing of women. "What we know is that women have always faced financial hurdles through their experience of paid and unpaid work, with gendered expectations seeing women less able to participate in the economy and rewarded less when they do so," she said. "Through this pandemic, we've seen the government create pathways to greater economic security - such as the implementation of free childcare and increase to the JobSeeker payment. "This sets the scene for further changes that would boost women's economic empowerment."
Local women of all ages are being called upon to share their thoughts and experiences on:
- What the pandemic has highlighted in our community regarding women's economic security
- The impacts on women of taking away the measures put in place for economic hardship
- The possibilities/opportunities they see to enhance women's economic security in this region? and, importantly;
- Which community members they believe have 'slipped through the gaps' in being supported through the pandemic.
Responses can be emailed to cdennis@womenshealthbsw.org.au by 5pm on Tuesday, June 2. Respondents won't be identified.
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