Economic crisis: women in developing world pay high price

Over 3 million people around the world have lost their jobs due to the financial crisis and, according to the UN, economic recovery is unlikely to reach those that have suffered most - poor women and children. The worsening poverty and violence suffered by women were highlighted in Parliament's Women’s Rights Committee on 30 September.

“The start of the recovery is unlikely to reach the ones who have suffered most,” the director of the UN Development Fund for Women's Brussels office Osnat Lubrani told MEPs. In poor countries, of the girls who left school because of the crisis, 64% are likely never to go back. Some 200,000 - 400,000 children have died as a result of the crisis in poor countries.

Men are generally in higher paid jobs, so are better positioned to deal with the crisis, according to Ms Lubrani. As more women work part-time and often lack social security coverage, the impact is more severe, especially in countries with lower levels of social security.

Domestic violence increasing with the crisis

Ms Lubrani also reported a strong connection between economic downturn and domestic violence with domestic violence being exacerbated by job losses. 

What should be done?

The Chair of the committee, Swedish MEP Eva-Britt Svensson said she regretted the “back to business as usual” attitude at the time of an emerging economic recovery. “We have to claim responsibility, possibility to a change concerning male dominance over finances. There are no concrete proposals on how we should go from the crisis to a change in these areas. Things should not go back to where they were,” she insisted.

MEPs said there should be focus on how to create new labour markets that are less divided on gender lines, encouraging girls to go into technical jobs and more data on the number of unemployed migrant and disabled women.