This report highlights the disproportionate impact that [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19 has had on women's employment, particularly the employment and education opportunities for young women. The report, commissioned by Australians Investing in Women and undertaken by Equity Economics, shows women shouldered 3 out of 5 job losses across Australia in 2020 and in Victoria, 4 out of 5 job losses were women. The report also found there was a 28 per cent increase in the number of young women not in education or employment, compared to a 20 per cent increase in the number of young men. Other key
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This report highlights the disproportionate impact that [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19 has had on women's employment, particularly the employment and education opportunities for young women. The report, commissioned by Australians Investing in Women and undertaken by Equity Economics, shows women shouldered 3 out of 5 job losses across Australia in 2020 and in Victoria, 4 out of 5 job losses were women. The report also found there was a 28 per cent increase in the number of young women not in education or employment, compared to a 20 per cent increase in the number of young men. Other key findings of the report include: (1) while young people aged 15-24 account for 15 per cent of the labour force, they accounted for 55 per cent of the job losses; off those who lost their job, 68 per cent were young; (2) young women without a post-school qualification lost the most jobs across all age and education groups, accounting for 125,000 job losses between February and May 2020; analysis shows this was driven by the overrepresentation of young women without a post- school qualification in the industries most impacted by lockdowns (i.e. retail, hospitality, and the arts); (3) young migrant men and women were disproportionately impacted by the economic downturn, particularly those from non-English speaking backgrounds; young migrant women from non-English speaking backgrounds suffered a 44.4 per cent fall in employment at the height of the pandemic in May; (4) female enrolments in post-school education fell in net terms by around 85,600 in May 2020, relative to May 2019; men's enrolments, by comparison, fell by around 24,400 - in other words, women comprised 78 per cent, or close to four times as many, of this; and (5) around 34,000 women are now unlikely to complete a Certificate III or IV and as a consequence, they face a 10 per cent reduction in their employment prospects, from 78 per cent down to 68 per cent, a fall in full-time earnings of almost $3,000 a year.
To ensure the economic fallout from the pandemic does not derail the future trajectory of young women's education and employment and further widen the gap between men and women's economic outcomes, the report recommends greater investment and dedicated focus to: strengthen young women's education and training pathways; strengthen women's transition into and sustained attachment to employment; strengthen women's business opportunities; and initiatives to support gender equity.
Edited excerpts from publisher's website.
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