The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been profound and far-reaching. Beyond endangering the health of Canadians, the pandemic has worsened inequalities among groups of people. Women, girls and gender-diverse people have faced unique challenges during the pandemic.

During its hearings held in July, October and November 2020, the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women (the Committee) received testimony and written submissions from diverse witnesses. Witnesses brought expertise in the areas of women’s rights and equality; education; paid and unpaid caregiving; senior’s rights and wellbeing; gender-based violence; human trafficking; and women’s participation in the labour force and in specific sectors. The Committee also heard from the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, and the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion.

Witnesses provided an overview of gender-based concerns in the context of COVID‑19. Three main themes emerged from the testimony: women’s health and wellbeing; women’s work and economic security; and women’s physical safety and security.

With respect to women’s health and wellbeing, witnesses explained that women tend to be overrepresented in several frontline workforces. For example, more women than men work in the care, education and retail sectors. These women on the frontlines face an elevated risk of contracting COVID-19. Women also take on a disproportionate share of unpaid care responsibilities, which may also increase this risk. Also, competing demands from domestic responsibilities, childcare and online schooling, and paid employment, have had negative impacts on women’s mental health. Certain groups of women, including women living in long‑term care facilities and women living with disabilities, have required additional care supports during the COVID‑19 pandemic.

The Committee heard that the COVID‑19 pandemic has caused a drastic reduction in women’s labour force participation. When schools and daycares closed, many families needed to provide more childcare and domestic labour than usual. Women took on most of this unpaid labour. For this reason and others, more women than men left the paid workforce during the first wave of the pandemic. Also, fewer women than men have returned to paid work since the first wave. Women who own businesses, work in long‑term care facilities or perform consensual sex work have faced unique financial hardships. Many women now face a greater risk of poverty. Witnesses proposed strategies to decrease unpaid care work for women, enable more women to join the paid workforce and increase women’s economic security.

For some women, public health guidelines about physical distancing have been dangerous. For example, some women experiencing domestic violence have had to stay at home with their abusers. This situation has made it difficult to access domestic violence-related services. In addition, services such as shelters and transition houses for women have been accepting fewer women as a result of public health guidelines. Finally, the Committee heard that human trafficking has not disappeared during the COVID-19 pandemic. Witnesses provided different perspectives on the levels of human trafficking in Canada. Witnesses agreed that supports and services for survivors of human trafficking are essential.

Witnesses provided some suggestions related to the federal government’s emergency response to COVID-19. The Canada Emergency Response Benefit, the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance and the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy, as well as the Canada Emergency Business Account were discussed.

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada take various actions to assist women, girls and gender-diverse people during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Many recommendations relate to improving women’s health and labour force participation. Some recommendations focus specifically on women’s paid and unpaid care work. The Committee also recommends interventions to help reduce trafficking and violence against women.