Living in poverty - the disproportionate burden on women
Nearly two-thirds of people living in poverty globally are in the Asia Pacific region and of these people 65% are women.
What does this mean for women?
When women are poor their rights are not protected and they face unique obstacles that may be extraordinarily difficult to overcome. This deprivation faced by women also has far-reaching consequences for society and the economy at large. The relationship between women’s productivity and economic progress is well established. Indeed, when women are actively included in the workforce, they generate countless economic opportunities for growth in their community.
There are several reasons why poverty disproportionately affects women, and these include:
The underrepresentation of women in government roles limits their influence on decision making in both government and their communities more broadly.
Women spend more time in unpaid care and domestic roles, leaving them with less opportunity to gain higher education or paid work.
Women are more likely to be victims and survivors of human trafficking.
Birth registration data is often incomplete, which in many countries means women are unable to access public benefits and civic rights.
Levels of partner violence globally remains unacceptably high.
The impact of these various factors on women is significant. Women living in poverty face a constant state of insecurity. Furthermore, the high numbers of women living in poverty pose a threat to human and social development because their children are more likely to repeat the cycles of poverty and disadvantage.
"While both men and women suffer in poverty, gender discrimination means that women have far fewer resources to cope. They are likely to be the last to eat, the ones least likely to access healthcare, and routinely trapped in time-consuming, unpaid domestic tasks. They have more limited options to work or build businesses. Adequate education may lie out of reach. Some end up forced into sexual exploitation as part of a basic struggle to survive." UN Women
The impact of covid
Covid has significantly exacerbated the negative effects of poverty and further disadvantaged women living in poverty globally.
"... women's vulnerability to the pandemic... More job and income losses. Greater unpaid care work around homes. Rising threats to mental health. Rates of violence against women and girls that soared so high during lockdowns that they were described as a second pandemic." UN Women
We need to accelerate our efforts towards addressing the issues that affect women living in poverty.
What can be done?
To create a world where women can live a life free from poverty, we need to end gender-based discrimination. Gender inequality is at the heart of what makes and keeps women poor, depriving them of fundamental human rights and opportunities for well-being.
Addressing critical issues experienced by women living in poverty, such as creating and providing access to robust health systems and investing in education is vital. Equally crucial is providing women with access to financial resources.
In the Philippines and Cambodia, around 20% of people do not have access to a personal bank account.
Providing women with access to finance and financial services can enable women to invest in, and grow their own small enterprises, establish a safety net for emergencies which would otherwise push them back into poverty and enables them to participate in society and start their journey out of poverty.
What does Good Return do to address these issues?
Good Return provides women with pathways out of poverty by implementing strategies that provide women with access to responsible microfinance, enabling them to start or grow a small business and financial education that helps inform their financial decisions and manage the impact of global shocks.
Learn more about how Good Return is working to support women living in poverty here.