COVID-19 and Women
COVID-19 is also disproportionately affecting women as our world’s major caregivers, both at home and professionally.
One indicator of ability to maintain employment is the access to telecommuting or working from home. Given that women are more likely than men to be employed in service and caretaking among other jobs that require physical presence, they are more likely to be laid off. Also, as the primary providers of day care and education for their own children, they are more likely to have to choose to leave their jobs.
Ability to Telecommute

Laid off, furloughed, or had their hours or pay reduced because of the pandemic
- Black Women
- 54
- Black Men
- 44
- White Women
- 31
- White Men
- 27
Source: The Economic Devastation Of COVID-19 Is Hitting Women Particularly Hard
COVIDxNOW and EBW are working hard to address the disparate effects that COVID-19 is having on women around the world. For instance, we are inviting women from a variety of communities and backgrounds to join EBW’s SHE for PPE initiative building opportunities for women to build and expand new businesses related to supplies of critical equipment. In addition, EBW has created a network of women entrepreneurs around the world to provide them with free business education, mentorship and networking opportunities. And COVIDxNOW has built a community of individuals and organizations working to support businesses and efforts of women and people of color to enable them to survive the pandemic and bring about new solutions that will put them in the lead throughout and beyond.
Here are some of the stories from our female business owners and their policy and economic needs.