#DateSectorPublication CategoryName of publicationName of OrganizationNAME OF AUTHOR(S)/ SPEAKER(S)INTRODUCTIONLINK
113th March 2020OverallBlog PostIdeas for a Pro-Poor and Pro-Women Approach to COVID-19OXFAMLan Mercado, Oxfam International Secretariat,
Asia Regional Director, OXFAM		The blogpost surrounds the personal opinions of Lan Mercado, an activist for the rights of women with over 30 years worth of experience. It focuses on the interplay of economic and gender inequalities in a public health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It concludes with suggestions as to how local governments can respond with a pro-poor, pro-women approach to the crisis.
225th March 2020OverallBlog PostIndia: SEWA pushes for 4-point program to assist Indian women workersBuilding and Wood Workers' InternationalOwing to the COVID 19 crisis, women informal workers in the country are said to be disproportionately affected by it. This blogpost mentions how SEWA Bharat, a leading trade union in India, urged the government to take necessary steps to help curb this problem. These include income support, ration distribution and a six-month amortization on repayment of all loans.
35th May 2020OverallBlog PostWomen’s cooperatives respond to the crisis in India FES-AsiaSalonie Muralidhara and Nikita Chettri, SEWA FederationThe blog post focuses on the vulnerability of informal workers who constitute 90% of India's workforce amidst the COVID 19 crisis. It brings into light an overlap between informality, gender and poverty which leaves women informal workers worse off than others. To conclude, it highlights solutions and recommendations in the sphere of healthcare, child care, insurance and representation in policy-making bodies.
410th May 2020OverallAnalysisWomen: The invisible face of hungerHindustan TimesRenana Jhabvala, President of SEWA BharatThis article centres around the lack of recognition that women informal workers and their issues receive, especially amidst the pandemic. It highlights hurdles faced by these women and calls for improvement in the government's response plans for the COVID 19 crisis.
514th April 2020OverallNews ArticleSEWA is working to alleviate devastating impact of COVID 19 on informal and migrant workers in IndiaInternational Cooperative and Mutual Insurance FederationThe article reports initiatives taken by SEWA (Self Employed Women Association) to aid the informal and migrant workers in India amid the COVID 19 crisis. It briefly explains SEWA's reach, strategy and approach in their efforts of ration distribution, cash sustenance and providing health kits.
62020Domestic WorkersBlog PostDOMESTIC WORKERS: Frontline care workers face COVID-19 challenges WIEGOLeslie Vryenhoek, Laura Morillo, Marty Alter Chen, Carlin Carr, and Marlese von BroembsenThe blogpost delves into the challenges that domestic workers are facing owing to the COVID 19 crisis and its impact. Since the global pandemic began, domestic workers have found themselves in a fix where they are dependent solely on their incomes from households where they work. The article focuses on various countries such as India, Peru, South Africa, Brazil and more to explore the problems, along with initiatives to tackle those.
72020Home-based WorkersBlog PostHome-based workers face a new kind of isolation WIEGOLeslie Vryenhoek, Laura Morillo, Marty Alter Chen, Carlin Carr, and Marlese von Broembsen and Social Sciences in Humanitarian ActionOwing to business closures, home-based workers have seen a massive drop in orders which results in them losing out on income. The blog post focuses on the plight of subcontracted workers, garment workers and self-employed home-based workers in different countries. It talks about their limitations and the ways in which they are being helped.
82020Street VendorsBlog PostStreet Vendors: Essential goods and urgent needs WIEGOLeslie Vryenhoek, Laura Morillo, Marty Alter Chen, Carlin Carr, and Marlese von Broembsen and Social Sciences in Humanitarian ActionThe blog post focuses on the infrastructural limitations that affect street vendors during a national lockdown due to the COVID 19 crisis. It also brings into light the inaction of the governments and municipal corporations of the concerned nation-states.
912th May 2020OverallArticleCovid-19: How India can ensure that women in the informal sector get the protection they deserveScroll.inShalini Sinha, Delhi Focal City Coordinator at WIEGOThe article aims to highlight the "double burden" that is currently falling upon women informal workers in the country and suggest necessary solutions for the same. The proposed strategy includes financial security, reliable healthcare and housing, and creation of new livelihood opportunities.
1030th May 2020OverallArticleIndia: SEWA Bharat releases report titled "Gendered Precarity in the Lockdown"; findings show stark pay disparities and underrepresentation of women workersBusiness & Human Rights Resource CentreSEWA BharatWomen in the informal economy comprise 94% of the female labour force in India. The article aims to throw light upon the vulnerability of women workers in the informal economy in India during the national lockdown. Through a phone survey conducted by 14 SEWA Bharat staff members, gendered consequences of the pandemic came out. There was a focus on the effects on income, savings, assets, education, food security, substance use, and health. The data then was used to channel relief efforts by SEWA and their partners to the communities in need. To conclude, the report suggests that women indeed suffer disproportionately whether through an impact on their incomes, savings, mental health, or access to healthcare.
112nd May 2020OverallNews ArticleIndia’s Lockdown Is Blind to the Woes of Its WomenThe WireHarshita Kasarla, Law Graduate from NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad The article talks about the "shadow pandemic" affecting women while the entire focus remains on COVID 19. It centres in on the lack of space given to the issues of women in the response plans of the government. There is an increased burden on women in households in terms of the work that they're responsible for. The article calls for attention to this shadow pandemic.
1221st May 2020OverallColumn PostLack of social security for women in informal economy needs to be addressed The Indian ExpressMirai Chatterjee, Director of Social Security at Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA).The column post emphasises the need for reforms to encourage social security for informal workers. Social security at the base level needs to include health care, child care, insurance, pension and housing with basic infrastructure like a tap and toilet in every home. Owing to the poor condition of informal workers in the country, many trade unions such as SEWA Bharat have consistently demanded social security for all informal workers, including migrants.
131st April 2020OverallBlog PostWomen peace and security in the time of coronaLondon School of EconomicsSanam Naraghi Anderlini MBE, Director of the Centre of Women, Peace and SecurityThe blogpost discusses the Women, Peace and Security agenda, specifically in the context of the COVID 19 crisis. It calls for gender sensitivity – understanding the differential implications on men and women of policies that are established. Increased domestic violence, continued world conflicts and fewer women participation in policy-making bodies add to the need for a feminist perspective in all policies through shifts in priorities, values, resource allocation, and skillsets
1428th March 2020OverallNews ArticleProtecting women is missing from pandemic management measures in IndiaQuartzAshwini Deshpande, Professor of Economics at Ashoka UniversityThe article throws light upon the gendered impact of the pandemic. It talks about the gender-blind policies of the government that negate women in any sphere of its consideration. Intimate partner violence, household work and care burden are on a rise ever since lockdowns have been announced. To conclude, the article suggests measures that can be taken to curb this disparity.
156th April 2020Domestic WorkersNews ArticleLockdown: Domestic workers struggle to make ends meet as families refuse to pay Hindustan TimesAnkita Bhatkande, Senior Correspondent at Hindustan Times, MumbaiThis article focuses on the financial instability that domestic workers in the country are faced with owing to the national lockdown. With dramatically reduced incomes, they are vulnerable to starvation and extreme deprivation. In many cases, either the family refuses to pay their domestic workers or workers do not have bank accounts to receive wages in.
1617th April 2020OverallArticleCOVID-19, Domestic Abuse and Violence: Where Do Indian Women Stand? Economic Poltical WeeklyThe article highlights an increase in the number of domestic violence cases in the country during the national lockdown due to the pandemic. With nation-wide shutdowns of most establishments, women are left with fewer means of reporting violence at home. They are left in the company of their abusers with an added burden of more household work and responsibilities. Women often end up bearing the brunt of piled up frustration and a struggle to preserve the idea of honour attached to them. It was also concluded after extensive research that Dalit women were the most vulnerable in such times. An added hindrance for women is also the lack of execution of the part of the judiciary which fails to actualise laws in real life.
1726th March 2020OverallNews ArticleCOVID-19 lockdown: Rights groups demand immediate social security measures for womenOutlook IndiaPress Trust Of IndiaIn a joint memorandum, eight women's rights groups, including All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) and All India Progressive Women’s Association (AIPWA) urged the Prime Minister of the country to aid women in the informal sector, widows, single women and female-headed families. They sought measures such as cash transfers, paid leaves and wages in advance. They also suggested loan payments to be deferred, door-to-door delivery of ration and pension transfers in advance.
1814th April 2020OverallBlog PostCOVID-19 and lockdownsUNUBina Agarwal, Professor of Development Economics and Environment at the University of Manchester, UKThis blogpost explores the factors contributing to a disproportionate burden on women due to the COVID 19 crisis and how it could be improved. It brings forth the impact of class and how that contributes to women from poorer backgrounds to be worse off than those from rich backgrounds in terms of the burden of household chores. It then discusses health, care work, income and intra-household dynamics. It recommends policy interventions, increased testing of women and added support in terms of helplines to report abuse and other issues.
192020OverallIssue PaperCOVID 19 and Ending Violence Against Women and GirlsUnited Nations Women Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)This issue brief highlights evidence of the impact of the recent global pandemic of COVID-19 on violence against women. It then makes recommendations to be considered by all sectors of society, from governments to international organizations and civil society organizations. It also considers the economic impact of the pandemic and its implications for violence against women in the long-run.
2026th March 2020OverallArticleWomen and COVID-19: Five things governments can do nowUN WomenAnita Bhatia, Deputy Executive Director at UN WomenFirstly, the article introduces the factors that contribute to an unfair and added impact of women due to the pandemic. It then moves on to five ways in which governments can intervene and help. To begin with, an increase in panels comprising of women to make decisions is required. Among others are women helplines to be considered as essential, ensuring the safety of women nurses and doctors and various social protection measures.
218th April 2020OverallBlog PostWhy gender-responsive communication interventions are critical in the battle against COVID-19Comminit.comSini Ramo, Gender Adviser at European Union Monitoring Mission in GeorgiaThe blogpost calls for addressal of problems during the pandemic through a gendered lens. It explains that gender-responsive communication is based on the understanding that people experience health emergencies, like COVID-19, differently, and that this difference is shaped by gendered norms and roles in societies, embedded in unequal power relations. It emphasises the need for inclusion of women and girls, LGBTQI communities and other marginalised groups. To conclude, it is suggested that response plans are made keeping in mind the gender-specific needs of people which would aim to reduce the inequality that is exacerbated during the COVID 19 crisis.
2214th April 2020OverallArticleThe blindspot in our response to COVID-19India Development ReviewSohini Bhattarcharya, CEO of BreakThroughThe article brings forth an earlier negated section that is disproportionately affected by the COVID 19 crisis - women. It explains how health emergencies have never been gender-neutral through an analysis of the Ebola virus in West Africa. With a weakened ability to bounce back in their career after a crisis and poor insurance of any kind, women are extremely vulnerable. To conclude, it suggests that equitable sharing of domestic tasks should be encouraged and rations and other relief measures should reach those who are in need.
2314th April 2020OverallBlog PostTHE SHADOW PANDEMIC: HOW THE COVID-19 CRISIS IS EXACERBATING GENDER INEQUALITYUNFoundationMichelle Milford Morse and Grace AndersonThis article delves into the three areas that have been hit by the COVID 19 crisis namely, the economy, the healthcare system and home. Early reports have established that, while COVID 19 is more likely to impact men, its social and economic toll will disproportionately be paid by women. Hence, throughout the article, there is a focus on the crisis’ impact solely on women. It discusses problems such as increased domestic violence, risks to health at the frontline, financial instability, human rights violations and the solutions to each of these.
2429th April 2020OverallInformation Sheet7 POSSIBLE ACTIONS- Women's rights and COVID 19Office of the OHCHR and the African UnionAs suggested by the title, this report proposes several tactics to navigate through the ongoing COVID 19 crisis and its severe impact on women. The suggested measures touch seven domains that require immediate attention; these are the economy, healthcare, gender-based violence, necessities, participation in decision making, humanitarian settings and collection of data. It elaborates problems of each aspect and then suggests measures for the same.
2516th March 2020OverallBlog PostHow Will COVID-19 Affect Women and Girls in Low- and Middle-Income Countries?CGDEVDavid Evans, Senior Fellow at the Center for Global DevelopmentThe blogpost delves into the impact of COVID 19 on women and girls in low and middle-income countries. It was highlighted that these effects will be more adverse in places with more females in the field of healthcare. School closures, travel restrictions, less decision-making power and limited health resources are factors that contribute to women's vulnerability. Women are affected in terms of adverse sexual health, increased intimate-partner violence, added burden of care and economic crises. To conclude, the post encourages more participation of women in response teams for COVID 19 to reduce the inequality that persists.
262020Self Employed WomenIssue PaperGUIDANCE FOR ACTION:
SUPPORTING SMEs TO ENSURE
THE ECONOMIC COVID-19
RECOVERY IS GENDER RESPONSIVE AND INCLUSIVE		UN Women | Asia and the PacificThe action brief highlights the need to support SMEs to ensure that the economic recovery post and during COVID 19 is gender-responsive. Key issues that affect women who own SMEs are- restricted access to financial services and credit; less access to information and communications technology; fewer network resources; legal and cultural barriers to
owning and controlling assets and more unpaid care and domestic work. The report also includes several recommendations for governments, businesses, donors and civil society organisations.
2715th April 2020OverallAnalysisThe COVID-19 Lockdown Will Ravage Prospects for India's Female WorkforceThe Wire IndiaHema Swaminathan and Rahul LahotiThe analysis focuses on how the existing inequalities in society will be exacerbated due to the pandemic. It is known that women show deprivation in certain dimensions even in non-poor households. Due to the pandemic, there will be an increase in the care responsibility of women. Their labour force participation rate which is already fairly low might drop further. It is said that there will be an increase in intimate-partner violence, largely affecting women. The state needs to strengthen its local governance systems and form a gendered response to the COVID 19 crisis,
2827th April 2020OverallNews ArticleIndia’s COVID–19 Gender Blind SpotThe DiplomatBansari Kamdar, JournalistThe article brings forth the lack of space for women in the COVID 19 response framed by the government. An upsurge in domestic violence, falling female labour force participation rate, additional burden of care are the few ways in which women are being affected. The lockdown has also adversely impacted their health and education. During this time, the government needs to come up with gender-sensitive policies, keeping in mind the disproportionate burden that has fallen on women and girls.
2918th April 2020OverallNews ArticleDistanced, Discriminated And Distressed: Informal Women Workers Reeling Under Covid-19 Impact Outlook IndiaDebabrata PatraThe article focuses on the condition of the indebted women informal workers in the country. Relying almost entirely on the government for survival, these workers have been hit hard by the pandemic. They are struggling even more so due to additional vulnerabilities such as mental and physical ailments among others. It is suggested that the government should immediately start MGNREGS work in villages, making it accessible for these women. Domestic workers should also be entitled to rs 1500 like construction workers. Ration supply must continue to reach all. Lastly, the government should partner with civic society organisations to combat this problem.
3030th April 2020Self Employed WorkersBlog PostDon't Forget the Informal Sector: Reviving Manufacturing in India.London School of EconomicsAastha Sharma and Kannan KumarThe blogpost urges the Indian government to design an economic package that aims to revive every segment of the economy, including the informal sector. The lockdown has adversely affected the Indian manufacturing ecosystem which is dominated by Micro, Small and Medium enterprises. The care package currently includes increased liquidity in the market, slashed lending rates and a moratorium period to businesses for repayment of loans among others. While the economic package announced by the Finance Minister has sought to protect the manufacturing sector, it still needs to be more inclusive of the informal economy.
318th May 2020Women FarmersNews ArticleGive Credit Facilities, MGNREGA Job Cards to Women: NCW Advisory to States Hindustan TimesAmrita Madhukalya, Special Correspondent at Hindustan TimesThe article focuses on the advisory issued by The National Commission for Women (NCW) that will aid women farmers who have been adversely affected in the COVID 19 crisis. While the number of women farmers is rather high in the country, their access to credit facilities, subsidies and even agricultural tools is limited. Farming tools are designed in a way that they are more suitable for men. Most of the land is registered under a man's name. Existing policies make it difficult for women to apply for loans. It was suggested that all states shall ensure women get access to credit without any interest or collateral, as many don’t hold land titles and some are sharecroppers. They are also to provide women with job cards under a scheme such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
3221st May 2020OverallArticle31 Million Women Facing Covid 19 Pandemic-Related Job Cuts: ReportThe SwaddleDevrupa Rakshit, Associate Editor at The SwaddleThe article quotes an analysis by Citigroup Inc that predicts large-scale potential job cuts for female workers in the country due to COVID 19. It further highlights the loss that the country's GDP would face given that these women stop working. Sectors with high female employment such as leisure, retail (including garment manufacturing), hospitality, education and tourism are the worst hit. Women are not only suffering from unemployment but are also bearing an increased child care burden.
3319th May 2020Domestic WorkersNews ArticleAhmedabad: Increased Demand for 24×7 Domestic Help, Care ServicesThe Indian ExpressRitu Sharma, Assistant Editor at The Indian ExpressThe article reports an increase in the demand for full-time domestic workers amidst the COVID 19 crisis. Employees now expect mandatory Covid-19 tests and inquiries about accommodations, so to ensure that the workers are not residents of red zones in the city. Many residential societies have put restrictions on the entry of domestic workers who commute daily. While most workers were paid salaries for the month of March, fewer were paid for the month of April and there is hardly any reassurance for May. Many women have returned to their native places seeking support from relatives, donors and the government.
3420th May 2020OverallNews ArticleHow NGOs in Ahmedabad Serve Migrants and Local Economy The Indian ExpressRitu Sharma, Assistant Editor at The Indian ExpressThe article highlights the relief work for informal women workers done by an Ahmedabad-bases non-governmental organisation, Utthan. The NGO has distributed ration and essentials to about 2,500 marginalised families in Bhavnagar, Dahod, Panchmahal and Mahisagar. Several other NGOs have also been helping stranded migrants, marginalised families and other groups during the lockdown. The NGO Janvikas’ initiative Institute of Social Studies and Transformation has been providing food to migrant workers in containment zones. The Mahila Housing SEWA Trust is said to have fostered COVID-19 awareness among 3,91,805 individuals, mobilised Rs 6 million through government subsidies and packages, provided seven million meals and 14,682 safety kits to 10,698 individuals and the homeless. Self-employed Women’s Association (SEWA) Federation has employed nearly 100 of its women members in preparing masks, sanitisers and supplying vegetables.
3518th May 2020OverallData ReportThree Ways to Contain COVID-19's Impact on Informal Women Workers: UN Women Data HubUN WomenRachel Moussié, and Silke StaabThe report highlights data related to women's participation in the informal economy and suggestions to uplift them. According to this, women’s employment is overwhelmingly informal globally;92% of women work informally in low-income countries. It suggests three key priorities that states should keep in mind to protect women informal workers amidst the COVID 19 crisis and these are- extending access to social protection; ensuring the rights and safety of essential informal workers; and supporting informal workers’ organizations.
362020OverallWeb PageHOW COVID-19 IMPACTS WOMEN AND GIRLS United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)The interactive webpage explores the impact of the COVID 19 crisis on women and girls around the world. It includes nine topics that briefly explain women's vulnerability. These are- migrants, domestic violence, conflict, young women and girls, unpaid work, economic shocks, women's health, healthcare workers and violence against women.
3731st May 2020OverallAnalysisHow Covid-19 Invisibilises Concerns of Women, GirlsHindustan TimesShireen Vakil and Aparna UppaluriThe analysis opens with explaining how hierarchies in class, caste and gender significantly determine the nature of challenges faced by people during the pandemic. Existing gender inequality has further heightened in India during this crisis. While the government has extended support to women through various schemes, there are issues of access to bank services as well as the availability of cash. The lockdown has given rise to not just employment but also mental and physical health problems for women. There is an urgent need for a strong gender lens to be built into the Covid-19 response plans.
3830th May 2020OverallArticleHow to Bolster the Presence of Women in India's Labour ForceThe Economic TimesAmar Patnaik, Rajya Sabha MP from OdishaThe article delves into ways in which women can gain more presence in the labour force in India. In Odisha and Kerela, women actively participated in making masks, distributing dry ration and raising awareness about COVID 19 during the lockdown. While the majority of women work, their work falls under the informal sector. Therefore, it is not considered labour output. The patriarchal family structure, lack of education and required skills, restriction to household chores, lack of access to a safe workplace, maternity benefit and gender gap are some of the reasons that hold women back. It is suggested that an appropriate ecosystem promoting the formation of such women SHGs, empowered by basic vocational training in low technology-intensive micro-enterprises should be put in place.
3925th May 2020OverallAnalysisIncreased Care Work, Reduced Wages: Informal Women Workers Are Barely Getting ByThe Wire IndiaShiney Chakraborty, Research Analyst at the Institute of Social Studies TrustThe analysis brings into focus the exacerbation of existing gender inequalities owing to the COVID 19 crisis. Women's work is often low-paid, low-skilled and without any social security. The Institute of Social Studies Trust conducted five micro-studies on domestic work, street vending, waste picking, home-based work and construction work. 66% of the participants indicated an increase in unpaid work at home and 36% reported an increased burden of child and elderly care work during this period. 83% of women workers covered in the study were facing a severe income drop. All construction workers reported a loss of paid work while 97% of the street vendors said that they had access to no source of income during the lockdown period. More such figures indicate that better schemes and provisions by the government are required to aid the informal sector.
4027th May 2020Domestic WorkersAnalysisIt Is Time to Stop Seeing Domestic Workers as COVID-19 'CarriersThe Wire IndiaKalpana Viswanath, CEO of SafetipinThe analysis describes the vulnerable state in which domestic workers function in the country. They are often left out of discussions about the informal sector while their work remains low-paid and invisible. Most domestic workers were not able to work in the 60 days of the lockdown and many did not get paid. It is important for us to not look at them as carriers of disease and recognise that they are equally at risk for contracting the virus. Moreover, they are less capable of getting proper treatment if tested positive. While some legal instruments give them a degree of protection, such as the Unorganised Social Security Act 2008 and Sexual Harassment against Women at Workplace Act, 2013, and some minimum wages provisions at the state level, there is no comprehensive legislation to address the sector. The value of domestic work needs to be enhanced in this post-COVID society.
4128th May 2020OverallArticleWhat Does Work-From-Home Mean for Women? Economic Poltical WeeklyAshwini Deshpande, Professor of Economics at Ashoka UniversityThe article discusses the logistics of work-from-home for women in India and its implications in terms of class, nature of work, location of work, and degrees of informality. Traditionally, women undertaking domestic chores have always worked from home but it is only seen as an extension of their inherent responsibility and is unpaid. Home-based workers are also such an example but due to decreased economic activity, they have faced major financial loss. Women, usually employed in the formal sector who are working from home due to the pandemic are facing the additional burden of household chores and childcare. A large number of people have been rendered unemployed due to the lockdown. It is suggested that we start recognising the multiple facets of women’s work and facilitate adequate compensation.
426th June 2020OverallArticleAn Expert Explained: The Gender Gap in Job Losses Caused by the LockdownThe Indian ExpressAshwini Deshpande, Professor of Economics at Ashoka UniversityThe article explains the gender gap in the increased unemployment caused by the lockdown. Statistical figures reveal that "there are gender and caste disparities in the early lockdown-induced job losses, where women have suffered relatively more than men (rural women more than urban women) and Dalits (Scheduled Castes) suffered relatively more than upper castes, specifically rural Dalits. Rural women’s employment has suffered the maximum relative loss." India's economy has taken a severe hit due to one of the strictest lockdowns in the world and the response to it needs to be inclusive of the hierarchies in class, caste and gender.
4318th June 2020Domestic WorkersArticleSEWA Launches Campaign for Domestic Workers.The New Indian ExpressExpress News ServiceThe article discusses the campaign launches by the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) called ‘My Fair Home’ which aims to help domestic workers and household caretakers in the state who are out of work following the COVID- 19 outbreak. The campaign focuses on residential areas and emphasises the right of domestic workers to work. It also urges the government to launch campaigns to build awareness among the public in this regard.
4425th April 2020OverallWebinarLockdown is a Luxury Covid-19 conversation #1London School of Economics Atlanta FellowsSpeakers-
Appu Suresh (India)
Saida Ali (Kenya)
Kripa Basnyat (Nepal)
Tracy Jooste (South Africa).

Hosts-
Priyanka Kotamraju (India) and Jack Nissan (Scotland)		The first of Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity's online COVID-19 conversations aiming to envision new social and economic futures after the crisis ends. “Lockdown is a Luxury” was led by Fellows in Asia and Africa, who shared first-hand insights on the pandemic.
4521st April 2020Self Employed WorkersWebinarImpacts of COVID-19 on employment: (potential) solutions for informal/self-employed workersIPC-IG, GIZ, and DFAT, in collaboration with the socialprotection.org platform"Panellists:
Laura Alfers, Director, Social Protection Programme, WIEGO
Carmen Roca, Lima Focal City Coordinator, WIEGO

Discussant:
Portia Kekana, Market Access and Strategic Partnerships Director, Department of Small Business Development, South Africa

Moderator:
Christina Behrendt, Head, Social Policy Unit, ILO
"		This webinar aimed to discuss how the different groups of informal workers and self-employed are being impacted by the current economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the different social protection responses to these groups have been discussed, including their main challenges, such as identification of beneficiaries and payment modalities in the case of cash transfers for example. Finally, examples of how coalitions of informal workers are being involved in the discussions about the extension of social protection were presented.
4615th April 2020OverallWebinarFeminist Economics Perspectives on COVID-19International Association of Feminist EconomicsPanelists-
Nancy Folbre, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Jeanine Anderson, Catholic University of Peru
Naila Kabeer, London School of Economics.

Moderator-
James Heintz, UMass Amherst.		This is an online panel discussion amongst the members of the International Association of Feminist Economics about the impact of COVID-19 that took place on April 15, 2020.
4728th April 2020Self Employed WorkersWebinarAdvancing gender equality though cooperativesInternational Labour OrganisationMirai Chatterjee, Chairperson, Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) Cooperative Federation, India

Sifa Chiyoge, Director, International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) Africa Regional Office, Kenya

Stefania Marcone, Chief, International Relations & European Policies, Legacoop, Italy

Nadya Weber, Independent Researcher, Canada		This webinar focuses on advancing gender equality in and through cooperatives. The speakers share their experiences and research findings as to why women join or establish cooperatives and how they fare in cooperatives as founders, leaders, members, and workers.
4814th April 2020OverallWebinarKey areas of action and experiences from country emergency actionsIPC-IG, GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Development and Cooperation (BMZ), and the Australia Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) collaboration with the socialprotection.org platformPanellists:
Douglas Randall, Financial Sector Specialist, World Bank
Guillermo Galicia, Consultant, World Bank
Fiorella Risso, Financial Inclusion Analyst, World Bank
Veronica Trujillo, Financial Inclusion Expert, World Bank
Silvia Baur-Yazbeck, Financial Sector Analyst, CGAP

Moderator:
Luz Stella Rodriguez, Social Protection Specialist, World Bank		The aim of this webinar was to present key aspects that social protection practitioners need to consider when delivering social protection payments under emergency circumstances learning from applied global experience
499th April 2020Women FarmersWebinarIn Conversation With Baskar Reddy | Syngenta Foundation | 60 Days 60 VoicesGlobal Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (GAME)Baskar Reddy, Executive Director at Syngenta Foundation, IndiaIn this coversation, Baskar Reddy speaks about how farmers and agri-entrepreneurs can overcome the COVID-19 crisis while being at the peak of the harvesting season.
509th April 2020OverallWebinarIn Conversation With Rehanaben Riyawala And Sahil Hebbar | SEWA | 60 Days 60 VoicesGlobal Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (GAME)Rehanaben Riyawala and Sahil Hebbar from SEWARehanaben Riyawala and Sahil Hebbar from SEWA deep-dived into the current challenges of the informal sector, how SEWA is making a difference, and the support SEWA needs right now.
514th May 2020OverallWebinarThe impact of Coronavirus on the Indian economyBridge IndiaDr A Didar Singh, Former Secretary General, FICCI; Advisor, Bridge India
Ambassador Khatua, Former diplomat and Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs
Abhinandan Sekhri, Co-founder, Newslaundry
Spriha Srivastava, Executive Editor, Business Insider
Atul Thakkar, Investment Banking, Anand Rathi Securities		In this stellar discussion, the panelists speak about the impact of COVID 19 on the Indian economy and the way forward from here.
529th June 2020OverallWebinarCOVID-19, Women Workers, and the Healthy Supply ChainUniversal Access Project, UNF in collaboration with BSF Her Project and American Apparel & Footwear AssociationNate Herman, AAFA
Michelle Tarry, American Eagle Outfitters
Shiv Kumar, Swasti Health Catalyst
Margaux Yost, Business for Social Responsibility
David Wofford, United Nations Foundation		In this webinar, the speakers describe the impact of the current crisis on supply chains and their workers, prospects for supply chains as we come out of this crisis, and efforts and initiatives launched at the local level to strengthen the capacity of workplaces to respond to current and future threats and ensure the health needs of workers are met.
5315th May 2020OverallWebinarFireside chat with Renana Jhabvala : Empowering women in rural IndiaThe/Nudge FoundationSpeaker- Renana Jhabvala (National Co-ordinator, SEWA)

Moderator- Lakshmi Pattabiraman (Director, The/Nudge Foundation)		Renana Jhabvala talks about SEWA's goal of self-reliance and full employment among other things.
5411th May 2020OverallWebinarLeaders with Purpose - co-creating solutions with Samaj, Sarkar and BazaarSamhitaSpeakers-
Renana Jhabvala
Prof. Esther Duflo
Dr. Nachiket Mor
Dr. Rukmini Banerji
Nisaba Godrej

Moderator-
Priya Naik		Experts threw light on the difficult trade-off choices faced by leaders and how samaj [society], sarkar [government] and bazaar [market] can come together and co-create solutions. Renana Jhabvala was speaking as part of the panel on behalf of samaj or the civil society organisations.
5510th June 2020OverallWebinarCovid-19 & the Indian Platform Economy:Is there Room for Women? Initiative for What Works to Advance Women and Girls in the Economy (IWWAGE) in collaboration with The Asia Foundation and LEAD KREA UniversityModerator-
Nandita Baruah

Speakers-
Abhay Mathur
Ruchika Chaudhary
Gillian Dowie
Sabina Dewan
Silky Raheja
Rituparna Chakraborty		In this webinar, the speakers discuss how women’s participation has benefitted from the platform-based economy in light of the Covid-19 pandemic along with its uncertainities and challenges.
563rd June 2020Self Employed WomenWebinarFrom Resilience to Growth: Supporting Women-led Rural Micro-Enterprises Through COVID and Beyond
Part 1- Survival Mode- Sustaining Enterprise Activity in the time of COVID		LEAD KREA University in collaboration with The World Bank, Aajeevika and the Ministry of Rural Development, Goverment of IndiaModerator-
Sharon Buteau

Speakers-
Mary Kathryn Hollifield
Nagendra Nath Sinha
Sumita Ghose
S Harikishore
Raman Wadhwa		The webinar is focused on coping strategies adopted by microenterprises to survive in the current context. It highlights emerging lessons from different states and sectors that can be translated into success stories for women-led microenterprises to pull through the ongoing crisis.
5718th June 2020OverallWebinarCOVID-19 and Women’s Energy EntrepreneurshipSustainable Energy for All in collaboration with the Clean Cooking Alliance, ENERGIA, and members of the People-Centered AcceleratoModerator-
Amanda Elam, Babson College

Speakers-
Esther Altorfer, Sistema.bio
Neha Juneja, Greenway Appliances
Rosmiaty Lantara, CV Riziki Abadi
Charlot Magayi, Mukuru Clean Stoves
Oluwakemi Ojewoye, Solar Sister		Focused on elevating voices from the field, this webinar showcased the experiences of entrepreneurs across the sector, unpacking insights on how this pandemic is impacting their company operations, customers, and communities.
5810th June 2020OverallWebinarWhy Mobility Matters for Working WomenWorld Bank Group- Women, Business and the LawClaudia Corminales
Maria Elefante		From the basics of freedom of movement to the challenges of working, parenting, and retiring, this series highlights how in many countries, the law restricts women’s economic opportunities and in turn hinders economic growth.
5911th June 2020OverallWebinarExploring Universal Basic Income's Potential to Deliver Economic Security and Gender EqualityUNDP Gender and Inclusive Growth TeamsOpening Remarks-
George Molina Gray, Chief Economist, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, Global Policy Network, UNDP

Moderator-
Raquel Lagunas, Head of Gender Team a.i., Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, Global Policy Network, UNDP

Discussant-
Aruna Roy, Political Activist, Founder of Workers and Peasants Strength Union (MKSS), President of National Federation of Indian Women

Presenters-
Dean Karlan, Professor of Economics and Finance (Northwestern University), President and Founder of Innovations for Poverty Action
Pablo Iglesias, Second Vice President of the Government of Spain and Minister of Social Rights and 2030 Agenda
Kanni Wignaraja, United Nations Assistant Secretary General, Assistant UNDP Administrator, and Director of UNDP Asia Pacific Bureau
The session aims to contribute to the global debate and highlight structural changes needed to achieve economic security and gender equality in light of the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on women and girls.
6027th May 2020OverallWebinarDomestic Violence; A lockdown within a lockdownCentre for Social ReasearchMs Lora Prabhu
Ms Naghma Sahar
Mrs Kamlesh Premi
Adv Adab Singh Kapoor		The speakers discuss gender roles, the importance of sensitising men, the challenge of changing the patriarchal mindset and the deep rooted gender bias that we become conscious of everyday.
6118th June 2020OverallWebinarSkill development and employment opportunities post COVID 19Centre for Social ReasearchCol. Anil Kumar Pokriyal (Retired)
Ms Silky Raheja
Mr Sainath Sunil		The webinar foccused on the dynamics of skill development as a recovery mechanism. The panelists discussed the importance of skill-based training for the youth to secure and strengthen the future of the Indian Economy.
6217th June 2020OverallWebinarPEOPLE AND THE PLANET:
The Future of Development in a Post-COVID-19 World		UNDP and UNEPSpeakers-
Achim Steiner, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme
Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme
Raya Haffar El Hassan, Former Minister of Finance and Interior of Lebanon
Joseph Stiglitz, Professor at Columbia University and recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences
Bina Agarwal, Professor at the University of Manchester

Moderator-
Femi Oke, Journalist		The webinar delves into issues surrounding the COVID 19 crisis and focuses on how to rekindle our relationship with nature and improve people’s lives today and in the future, in balance with the planet.
6316th June 2020OverallWebinarIncome Insecurity, Poverty Dynamics and COVID-19United Nations DESAModerator
Marta Roig

Presenters
Wenyan Yang (Welcome Message)
Dr. Anirudh Krishna		In this webinar, Dr Krishna shared findings from surveys in four developing countries on household movements into and out of poverty and discussed the possible poverty-inducing impact of COVID-19 within the countries surveyed.
6416th June 2020Domestic WorkersWebinarInternational Domestic Workers' Day- Making decent work a reality beyond COVID 19International Labour OrganisationLiliam Marrero, General-Secretary, UNFENAMUTRAH, Dominican Republic
Essi Yayra Kotor , General-Secretary, SYNADOT, Togo
Liezel Galdo, AMMPO/PERTIMIG, Malaysia
Mary Ann Abunda, Founding Chairperson, Sandigan Kuwait Domestic Workers Association
Lorenzo Gasparrini, Secretary General, DOMINA, Italy
Myrtle Witbooi, President, IDWF
Marieke Koning, Policy Advisor for the Equality Department, ITUC		This webinar was an opportunity to hear straight from domestic workers, union leaders and other stakeholders about their experiences, good practices, and priorities for future support and pave the way to make sure the impact of the current shock never happens again.
6519th June 2020OverallWebinarConversations with Women in the Gig EconomyWomen, Work and the Gig Economy in collaboration with Just Jobs Network and IDRCModerator-
Sabina Dewan

Welcome Note-
Gillian Dowie

Speakers-
Himanshu Wardhan
Aditi Surie
Kriti Jindal
Funda Ustek-Spilda		This webinar brings the voices of some women entrepreneurs that have leveraged platforms to build their livelihoods to the forefront. Participants hear how women gig-workers, platforms and experts assess the current and future impact of the pandemic on gig work.
6618th June 2020OverallWebinarGrowth of Regenerative EconomiesThe UN and Government partnerships working group of Catalyst 2030Hon.Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping, and Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Government of India
Valeria Duflot Co-founder and ideator of Venezia Autentica and Overtourism Solution
François Bonnici representing the Schwab Foundation/World Economic Forum and Catalyst 2030
Jacob Mathew, CEO, Industree Foundation		Speakers emphasise that the country needs to focus on its exports as the foreign investors are shifting their focus and are contemplating to relocate from China to India in the wake of the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.
6724th April 2020OverallWebinarImpact of COVID-19 on Grassroots Women’s Social EnterprisesNITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform [WEP] in partnership with SEWA BharatModerator- Raziya Shaikh, Founder of Bastar Foods The webinar brought together representatives from SEWA supported women’s collective social enterprises viz. Karnbhoomi, Ruaab and Lok Swasthya Mandali. Need for working capital, tax holiday, government-issued purchase orders, payroll subsidies, support for fixed costs for 6 months to stay afloat, visibility and sale of products made by women's collective social enterprises and handholding to adopt digital technology were some of the key needs highlighted by grassroots enterprises.
6811th May 2020OverallWebinarCovid and women’s livelihoods in IndiaIWWAGE in collaboration with ESDIG and LEAD KREA University"Moderator-
Soumya Kapoor Mehta, Head at IWWAGE

Pannelists-
Bina Agarwal, Professor of Development Economics and Environment at the Global Development Institute, University of Manchester
Renana Jhabvala, President at SEWA Bharat
Santosh Mehrotra, Professor of Economics and Chairperson at Centre for Informal sector and Labour studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University"		Renana Jhabwala participated in a webinar organised by our partner IWWAGE on how the COVID has adversely impacted women’s livelihoods in India. She speaks about the gendered impact of COVID on women workers, namely, domestic workers, street vendors, home-based workers, micro-entrepreneurs. She pointed out the need for better food relief, an emergency basic income, and policy-level changes to tackle the plights of self-employed women workers as the lockdown begins to ease.
6912th June 2020OverallWebinarThe COVID 19 ShockIdeas For IndiaProf. Parikshit Ghosh
Dr Pronab Sen		Owing to the current economic crisis, there is an urgent need for the government to implement policies designed to mitigate the damage, and alleviate the suffering of the most vulnerable. In this webinar Dr Pronab Sen reviews the current status, and deliberates on what needs to be done, and where we are likely to be in the future.
7029th August 2020OverallArticleCOVID-19 and Women Informal Sector Workers in IndiaEconomic and Political WeeklyShiney Chakraborty
7110th September 2020OverallWebinarEXPERT PANEL: INFORMALITY AND COVID-19 IN SOUTH ASIAWorld BankRenana Jhabvala, National Coordinator of the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) of India, Chair of SEWA Bharat and co-founder and board chair of WIEGO

Ravi Kanbur, T. H. Lee Professor of World Affairs, Cornell University

Ishrat Husain, Advisor for Institutional Reforms and Austerity to Prime Minister of Pakistan

Sabina Faiz Rashid, Dean, School of Public Health, BRAC University

Hans Timmer, Chief Economist for the South Asia Region, World Bank		This webinar brings together academics, policy advisors, health policy experts, and civil society leaders to discuss the impacts of COVID-19 on South Asia’s most vulnerable people.
7227th August 2020Domestic WorkersWebinarCoping with COVID: SEWA’s Domestic Workers on the Pandemic and BeyondWIEGO and SEWA BharatPratima, SEWA Delhi
Nirmala, SEWA Kerala
Moderated by Shalini Sinha, WIEGO		In this webinar, two domestic workers from SEWA Delhi and SEWA Kerala, will be discussing the impact of the lockdown on their life, the changing nature of their work and what challenges they continue to face as a result of the crisis. Representatives from SEWA will be giving a contextual understanding of the different policy responses in the two states, the nature of organisational support, the challenges they still see coming in the future and what steps are needed to advocate for the sector.