Even more than men, many women work in precarious conditions without job security, regular hours or benefits. In Peru, for example, the pandemic has pushed more women than men out of formal employment. A year and a half in, Claudia Huapaya, 46, and many others are still struggling to care for children and elders while earning far less than before.
Women in many countries were disproportionately represented in the type of service-sector jobs — hospitality, retail, food service — that were devastated by lockdowns. In Thailand, the sudden drop in tourism has put women, including Pimonrat Sriprapat, a 40-year-old tour guide, out of work, upending plans and prospects.
In France, the social safety net failed to protect all women, though early research suggests that social welfare programs may have cushioned the fall across the European Union. Andrea Watkins, 50 and living in Paris, lost…
