Gender Inequities and Financial Protection for Healthcare Access: An Infographic Series

INTRODUCTION

This infographic is part of a series of four infographics focusing on the intersection of gender and Covid-19 and covering the following topics:

1. Sexual & Reproductive Health Services
2. The Gender Gap in Digital Health
3. GBV Response Services
4. Financial Protection Services

Covid-19, Essential Health Services and Gender Equity

COVID-19 has widened gender employment gaps and left women more vulnerable than men to job loss. Healthcare access is disrupted or lost with loss of income and work, especially where access is linked to employment-based benefits or entitlements. 

With a focus on countries in the Global South, this infographic illustrates the gender inequities in health financing and financial protection schemes, further examining how gender-blind social protection measures continue to be the norm. Emphasising how financial protection measures and policies must be explicitly gender-responsive in their scope and delivery, the infographic provides examples of how some countries are strengthening their financial support and social protection mechanisms for gender-responsive outcomes. 

Projections from the International Labour Organization suggest the equivalent of 140 million full-time jobs may be lost due to COVID-19; and women’s employment is 19 per cent more at risk than men.

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

1. The COVID-19 crisis has widened gender employment gaps

   Women have suffered more than half of total job losses from the pandemic, making them 1.8 times more vulnerable to the pandemic’s impact than men.

2. Gender-blind social protection measures continue to be the norm

   Gender considerations are often not designed into response plans, despite clear evidence that women’s livelihoods & job security has been more heavily impacted by COVID-19 than men’s. A rapid assessment of the gender-sensitivity of the initial COVID-19 social protection responses up to April 2020 indicated that only about 11% of responses demonstrated gender-sensitivity.

3. Strengthen access to, and coverage of, existing financial support mechanisms

   In Thailand, migrants (irrespective of migration status) are eligible for Universal Healthcare Coverage. The cabinet also approved a fiscal package, including water and electricity bills, and social security contributions.

4. Include gender-responsive social protection mechanisms and complementary programming in COVID-19 responses

   Argentina, Armenia, El Salvador, Hungary, Russia, and Sri Lanka introduced social protection programmes specifically targeted to pregnant people, as well as women receiving maternity benefits.

Access the infographic here.