The Covid crisis has particularly affected young women and part-time workers, according to a report by the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
"Care for children and the elderly has accumulated on the shoulders of women during the coronavirus crisis, domestic violence has also increased, while unemployment has primarily affected younger women. It is important to take into account the impact on gender equality after the crisis," THL specialist researcher Merita Jokela said a press release outlining the results of the study.
The institute’s latest study on gender equality revealed that Finland is one of the few EU countries where women’s employment suffered more than men during the pandemic. This is because female-dominated service sectors and part-time work suffer the most.
Gender segregation is prevalent in the Finnish labor market, the study added, and the majority of critical workers – such as care workers – are women. This led to more women than men reporting experiencing a pandemic negatively affecting their working conditions.
"This crisis has shown how invaluable nursing is and how it is still underestimated in our society," Jokela said and added it "this is reflected, for example, in overworked nurses and low wages, but also in additional pressure from coronavirus restrictions on unpaid carers of children, the elderly and the disabled."
The health, economic and social effects of the coronavirus crisis on gender equality in Finland are the focus of this year’s annual equality day.
THL’s Center for Gender Equality will organize an online event on 6 and 7 October in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.