What we know:

  • Existing inequality means that women’s experiences of coronavirus will be different to men’s. These experiences will be particularly stark for women who face additional disadvantage, including BAME women, disabled women, older women and women on low incomes.
  • Women’s position in work – on the front-line in health, retail and care roles; and in sectors adversely affected by the crisis like hospitality – puts them at risk of losing their jobs, having to take unpaid leave, or being exposed to the virus.
  • Women tend to be primary carers for children and elderly relatives, with the closure of schools and childcare settings, women are now forced to balance these responsibilities along with their work without formal support.
  • Women are at risk throughout this crisis of falling into poverty, and facing abuse and violence within their homes during lockdown.

What we are calling for:

  • Women’s experiences to inform Government and business response to the crisis to ensure they do not fall through the cracks
  • Women working on the front-line to be protected, with adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), childcare provision and support to safely travel to work
  • Existing social security provision to be reviewed to ensure women have an adequate safety net, in terms of Universal Credit and Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
  • Businesses to adapt to support parents within their workforce to balance work and care, and ensure that parents are not penalised for caring roles throughout this crisis.
  • Protection for women who are at risk of violence and abuse in their homes during lockdown
  • A feminist economic recovery from Covid-19, ensuring that we take this opportunity to build back better and do not let the inequality, which has exacerbated throughout this crisis, worsen for women in Wales.

Read our briefing paper on a Feminist Economic Recovery for Wales here

What we are doing:

  • We have adapted delivery of our Agile Nation 2 project to ensure we are still able to support women and businesses to progress and improve their working practices
  • Read our briefing paper below on Women and Covid-19 to see our recommendations for Government

It is absolutely crucial that women’s experiences are understood and used to inform our response to this virus.

Briefing paper
  • We are working and coordinating with other women’s organisations to ensure women’s voices and experiences are heard and understood throughout this crisis. Read our joint statement with Fawcett Society

Women’s organisations across the sector have united to sign a joint call for women and girls in all their diversity to be visible, heard and have their needs met during the Coronavirus crisis response.

Joint statement with Fawcett Society
  • We are supporting businesses to adapt their ways of working. Read our guidance on agile working
16th Mar 2020
Is this the end of traditional office working?
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  • We are working to collect and record women’s experience of coronavirus to understand its impact, and ensure we are better equipped to respond.

The National Assembly for Wales research service is publishing and regularly updating advice for people living in Wales throughout the coronavirus crisis. The hub contains information and guidance related to work, benefits, housing, health and social care, transport, food and more

Constituency Support

The Welsh Government’s Hwb is an online platform providing information and materials to support children and young people’s learning. Content has been updated to support at home learning, and also offers support and resources on staying safe online.

Welsh Government’s Hwb

Free online training

Free online training is on offer for those who are furloughed due to Coronavirus.

Training is available through Open University Open Learn, Business Wales’ Business Online Support Service (BOSS), and Careers Wales.

Gingerbread is providing advice and guidance for single parents, this is UK-wide guidance, so information about education, free school meals and other areas related to health and education will not apply to Wales, but there is useful information about benefits, mental health and child support.

Advice and guidance for single parents

The Children’s Commissioner for Wales is posting regularly updated information for children and families to an online hub.

Children’s Commissioner Wales

Citizen’s Advice have information and advice available online about your rights and what support you can access.

Citizen’s Advice

Women’s safety

For many women who are at risk or experience domestic abuse or violence, staying at home throughout this crisis is not the safest option.

Government support for women experiencing abuse or violence remains open and available 24/7. You will not be fined for leaving the house if you are in danger during this pandemic. Welsh Government’s Live Fear Free helpline is open and available for call or text at any time.

Please do not suffer in silence. You are not alone.

Contact Live Fear Free

“Home Shouldn’t Be a Place of Fear” Campaign

The Deputy Minister and Chief Whip, Jane Hutt MS, has launched a new campaign to make sure victims and survivors of domestic abuse know they are not alone, and that they can access support through the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and beyond.

Announcement
28th Apr 2020

The website has been created to act as a hub for Welsh Government help and support available to businesses in Wales

Business Wales