Finding the nuances of inclusive growth of our economy as a whole, not just growth for those who have the privilege to access technology- but providing opportunities of growth for those who do not have access as well is the only way we can start to close the gaps. This means we need to take into account the issues of paid vs. unpaid work to increase the availability for women to work. One way that governments can take direct action is by implementing subsidized mobile childcare centers that allow sliding-scale payments, so that mothers that are just starting a new job post-pandemic can more easily pay for childcare as they start to regain their income. Subsidies can help alleviate the funding required to start a childcare center, helping to bring down the price of current childcare while providing free time for countless other women to start their own jobs or businesses. Funding one childcare business will in turn help many other women reap the rewards of becoming integral to workplace, especially in the places that are considered a “childcare desert”. Reducing the costs for these centers will be imperative to reopening the economy in an inclusive way because otherwise, already marginalized women who have lost their income during the pandemic will have to start all over again with the cyclical conundrums that prevent them from succeeding.

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Governments can also have direct impact on those struggling to make ends meet by relaxing the requirements of assistance programs. For example, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a U.S. subsidized program that is currently blocking many women from being able to collect during these emergency situations because of the minimum work requirements of 20 hours per week. It demands the question, how are women supposed to maintain working when entire industries have shutdown, some schools remain closed and women take on more care work than ever before. If they are lucky to receive benefits, the assistance still leaves a family of 3 below half of the poverty line, a 20% drop since 1996 in inflation adjusted terms (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 202). Because states have the ability to set their own benefit levels, systemic racism has disproportionately affected Black and Latino mothers who are living in states that continue to offer the lowest benefits.  These so-called support structures have in essence heightened the pressures on women, so it is up to governmental leaders to set up a more equal assistance program by removing the requirement to be actively seeking work to be eligible for unemployment insurance. We need to set up mechanisms for benefits to actively keep up with inflation with minimums as a percentage of cost of living. That way, when one’s cost of living rises due to inflation, benefits rise automatically.

 

We have the opportunity to recalculate the current benefit programs, and we need to restructure so that those who have been underpaid thus far will receive reparations. By understanding others, we can begin to see how to become a positive impact on the disparities between men and women. 

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Corporations have a multitude of opportunities to change their ways, for example universities who have offered tenure-clock deadline extensions due to the pandemic are actually exacerbating the issues between men and women. Because women are more likely to take care of their families and responsibilities during this pandemic, more women will need to take advantage of the tenure-clock extensions, while most men will be able to research remotely (Gomollón-Bel 2020). Corporations need to ensure that women do not incur a salary penalty to stop the clock compared with their tenure-track colleagues. Corporations need to change their culture internally, so that perceptions of women’s commitment to their profession isn’t impacted by their need to take a break due to the pandemic. They need to put their employees concerns at the forefront: by offering more flexible work schedules, childcare in office, or partially remote work, women can be able to continue working while caring for their families. Women should not have to sacrifice their family’s health for their family’s job security or vice versa. Unfortunately, this happens often when it comes to single mother head of households as they face a higher risk of poverty living pay check to pay check, they have no financial room to make mistakes. While offering these short-term fixes will make a huge difference in women’s survival, corporations also need to look at how they can have a long-term impact on the future of women as well. 

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Corporations can become catalysts of change for the younger generation as they grow into the workforce. By implementing more education partnership programs in low-income areas, they can help girls access the technology they need to succeed in the workplace- not just learn general education but learn the tools of their specific trade. Every company should invest in the securing of diverse, skilled workers by creating those opportunities directly: by investing in training and skills taught worldwide, by providing online and low-technology training materials, textbooks and videos to low-income families so they can learn remotely. They can work directly with local leaders in rural areas to better disseminate their program to those who need it. However, not every company has the resources to commit to this type of program. Still, any small business can make a direct impact for the women they employ by conducting comprehensive audits of wage equity, analyze job levels and ask whether women who are working as leaders have matching position titles and pay. They can become aware of organizational assumptions, such as gender bias during promotions, and combat this by prioritizing to move more women into leadership roles (Miller, 2019). Further, even small companies can provide online training certifications and development programs that are designed to promote the longevity of women’s careers. By creating and implementing multi-faceted, targeted support structures, corporations large and small can become allies to women’s empowerment by providing more flexible opportunities so they can return to the workforce. 

We all have levers we can use to create an equitable and inclusive environment in the direct sectors we have access to. Even the individual can help create the change that will boost our economy back stronger than before by making charitable donations that support those most in need. For example, funding charities that offer micro-loans for minority and women-owned businesses to get supplies can be an essential way the individual makes their own impact, especially through crowdsourcing websites like GivingGlobal.org. Understanding that men are both more likely to seek out funding for their business but also are more likely to succeed in obtaining funding, that women are in a less privileged position to start their business, let alone keep it afloat during this pandemic (Score, 2018). The individual needs to be most mindful of their own biases, and decide to help women in low-income areas, boosting their efforts to help them catch up to the fast pace of society that will leave them behind without a moment’s notice.

 

Charitable donations are extremely important for the short-term expenses that women are facing, but it is important that these donations are also funding the long-term solutions that women need to truly become independent equals of the workforce. This means not just giving cash to the problem, but finding ways to connect resources, training, networks, mentors and allies in a way that sets women up for success in the long run.

 

Everyone has the chance to create change, the question is whether we are mindful enough to see the opportunity to make a different choice.