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Women's Empowerment and Sustainable Development Goals in the Post-COVID-19 Era

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Political Economy of Development in the Global South Post-COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on women residing in the global south. Females residing in these geographical areas exhibit a higher probability of engaging in nonformal occupations, such as household labour, thereby rendering them more susceptible to experiencing unemployment and financial instability. Furthermore, the outbreak has exacerbated preexisting gender inequalities, including inequitable availability of essential resources such as healthcare and education. Hence, it is imperative for nations across the globe to reassess the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) defined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as they provide a comprehensive framework for advancing towards a sustainable future that ensures inclusivity. This theoretical study aims to analyse the impact of the economic downturn on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a particular focus on the empowerment of women. This study provides recommendations for addressing the health and economic obstacles that may hinder the attainment of sustainable development goals (SDGs). The authors assessed publicly available datasets encompassing a range of variables pertaining to healthcare services, the labour market, education, and community safety. The findings were visually represented by bar graphs, pie charts, and other similar methods. The results of the study indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic had differential impacts on individuals based on their gender. Specifically, it was found that disruptions to schooling were more pronounced for girls than boys. Additionally, instances of domestic violence increased, and women's unpaid workloads experienced a rise. Furthermore, women's income and labour force participation decreased because of the pandemic. Finally, it was observed that single rural women with children were the most severely affected demographic group. The present research advocates for the integration of evolutionary education in a more comprehensive manner, with the aim of fostering inclusivity and urging scholars and researchers to undertake significant efforts in this domain. Such endeavours are expected to advance equity and eradicate the marginalisation of entities from conventional perspectives. The present research serves as a valuable reference for scholars and professionals who are keen on exploring sustainability-related topics. It consolidates inputs from social scientists hailing from various regions across the globe.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P. Jindal Global University, Haryana, 131001, India

    Hebatallah Adam

  2. Amity University—Kolkata Campus, Kolkata, India

    Atiba Batul

  3. University of People, Pasadena, CA, USA

    Firdous Ahmad Malik

Authors
  1. Hebatallah Adam
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  2. Atiba Batul
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  3. Firdous Ahmad Malik
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Correspondence to Hebatallah Adam .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India

    Hebatallah Adam

  2. Faculty of Management Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa

    Ravinder Rena

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Adam, H., Batul, A., Malik, F.A. (2023). Women's Empowerment and Sustainable Development Goals in the Post-COVID-19 Era. In: Adam, H., Rena, R. (eds) Political Economy of Development in the Global South Post-COVID-19 Pandemic. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-4074-5_5

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