The pandemic affected women in Asia in many negative ways, threatening the progress made to date on gender equality. Business leaders can reverse the trend by implementing targeted solutions through a gender lens, increasing the pace of economic recovery at the same time.

Before the pandemic, women in Asia were making progress in the workplace concerning gender equality. During the pandemic, however, much of that progress was reversed as women were disproportionately affected by the in many ways, including employment and mental and emotional health. As the world returns to a semblance of normalcy post-pandemic, businesses can take the lead in restoring the progress once made and also drive more progress into the future, increasing the pace of economic recovery at the same time. There are numerous strategies to employ in order to achieve this, and each one requires keeping gender equality at the center of the pandemic recovery plans. They include increasing women’s labor force participation, and providing alternative flexible work opportunities for work locations. Each country in Asia offers a unique situation concerning women, but all can have a common purpose – bringing women back into employment and strengthening women-owned businesses to progress once again towards gender equality and economic improvement.

Economic Recovery Through the Pursuit of Gender Equality