knock-on effects of job losses and lockdowns. For diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) champions, concerns loom large that Covid is unwinding egalitarian progress and making their work more difficult by diverting precious resources – primarily awareness.
Gender balance expectations and outcomes
Six months after the first case of Covid-19 was reported in November 2019, the
survey regarding the anticipated impact of the disruption on gender balance. Then, 57 percent of respondents were worried that Covid-19 was negatively affecting gender balance, with interesting patterns connected to where they were living.
Specifically, both female and male participants in more
gender egalitarian countries (in Europe and elsewhere) tended to be more concerned about the effect of Covid-19 on women’s future. This is consistent with pre-Covid research showing that women in a