Webinar: Women on the frontlines of the crisis 
 

• When: Thursday 23 April, 1pm-2.30pm 
• Where: Online – you will be sent a link once you sign up to join the webinar

Although coronavirus affects the health of both men and women, it is women who are feeling the heaviest burden of its many impacts on work, childcare and the economic situation around the world. This is true in the UK where, for example, a recent study found that 98% of workers in high-risk jobs that are being paid poverty wages are women. 

But it is equally true, if not more so, for women living in lockdown in the global south. In the Philippines, the capital city Manila and the entire island of Luzon are under lockdown. This is a totally unplanned situation, that is creating chaos and misery, especially for low-paid women vendors, households, nurses and hospital workers, many of whom now have to walk for hours just to get to work. 

In this webinar, we'll be talking to two women from the global south who have been campaigning for many years to challenge the power structures that result in inequality for women and marginalized people. Jean Enriquez and Mercia Andrews will compare their experiences of the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic in urban Philippines and in rural South Africa and how they are organising to protect the most vulnerable. 

We hope you can join us online to hear Jean Enriquez and Mercia Andrews and discuss how we can show solidarity from the UK with women on the frontlines of this crisis around the world.

About the speakers: 

Jean Enriquez is the Executive Director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women - Asia Pacific (CATW-AP) and National Coordinator of World March of Women - Philippines, a grassroots feminist movement campaigning against capitalism and patriarchy. Jean has been an activist against the Marcos dictatorship since she was 13, and has helped build alliances of social movements among workers, farmers, women, youth, indigenous, and the urban and rural poor.

Mercia Andrews, Regional Convenor of the Rural Women’s Assembly South Africa. A feminist activist, she is deeply involved in the movement for land and agrarian transformation in South Africa.  

Chaired by Dorothy Guerrero, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Global Justice Now. 

I look forward to hearing your questions on the day! 

Dorothy Guerrero 
Head of Policy at Global Justice Now