In the past year, we have seen how the Philippines and the rest of the world experienced the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, said in 2020 that the pandemic is “a threat to gender equality” and it undermines efforts made to empower women and create gender equality in all aspects of our lives. Australia has been focused on embedding gender equality in our support to the Philippines’ response and recovery efforts to the pandemic. A McKinsey Global Institute Report in July 2020 highlighted that taking actions to advance gender equality can add $13 trillion to the global GDP in 2030. Gender-based violence experienced among women and girls has reportedly increased during the pandemic and has inadvertently weakened women and girls’ access to reporting mechanisms.

Source: Philippine Star March 24, 2021 15:56 UTC