Evaluation of the Problem of Unpaid Care Labor for Working Women in the Covid-19 Period within the Scope of Selected Countries' Solution Mechanisms

Year 2021, Volume: 6 Issue: 2, 333 - 351, 30.12.2021

Didem Koca

Abstract

The virus outbreak that emerged in Wuhan, the capital of China's Hubei region on December 1, 2019, has turned into a public health crisis. Therefore, the Covid-19 outbreak is inherently different from previous outbreaks; It is not only a health crisis, but also an economic and social crisis. During this period, countries had to deal with a double challenge. While efforts to control the epidemic continue, various solution mechanisms have been developed to cope with the economic and social effects of the epidemic. In this process, while women experienced difficulties in economic, security, employment and income outside the household, they had to struggle with unpaid care work problems within the household. Therefore, the pandemic period for women has been a process in which they fell into an even more disadvantageous position.

In this study, the problem of unpaid care work for working women during the Covid-19 period was evaluated within the scope of the solution mechanisms of selected countries. How the global epidemics in the world affected working women and how the unpaid labor responsibility of working women differed before and during Covid-19 were comparatively examined. The solution mechanisms applied in selected countries during the Covid-19 period for the problem of unpaid care work for working women are included under the headings of parental leave, flexible and remote working arrangements, work-family harmony policies, care services and financial supports.

Keywords

Social Policy, Female Workforce, Covid-19, Gender, Unpaid Care Work

Covid-19 Döneminde Çalışan Kadınların Ücretsiz Bakım Emeği Sorununun Seçilmiş Ülkelerin Çözüm Mekanizmaları Kapsamında Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

1 Aralık 2019 tarihinde Çin'in Hubei bölgesinin başkenti olan Vuhan'da ortaya çıkan virüs salgını, bir halk sağlığı krizine dönüşmüştür. Covid-19 salgını, doğası gereği önceki salgınlardan farklı bir özellik göstermektedir; sadece sağlık yönünde yaşanan bir kriz değil, aynı zamanda ekonomik ve sosyal bir krizdir. Bu dönemde ülkeler çifte zorlukla mücadele etmek zorunda kalmıştır. Bir yandan salgını kontrol altına alma çabaları devam ederken diğer yandan salgının ekonomik ve sosyal etkileri ile başa çıkmak için çeşitli çözüm mekanizmaları geliştirilmiştir. Bu süreçte kadınlar hane dışında ekonomik, güvenlik, istihdam ve gelir konularında zorluklar yaşarken, hane içinde de ücretsiz bakım emeği sorunları ile mücadele etmek zorunda kalmıştır. Dolayısıyla kadınlar için pandemi dönemi daha da dezavantajlı konuma düştükleri bir süreç olmuştur. Bu çalışmada Covid-19 döneminde çalışan kadınların ücretsiz bakım emeği sorunu, seçilmiş ülkelerin çözüm mekanizmaları kapsamında değerlendirilmiştir. Dünyada yaşanan küresel ölçekli salgınların çalışan kadınları nasıl etkilediği ve çalışan kadınların ücretsiz emek sorumluluğunun Covid-19 öncesi ve Covid-19 sırasında hangi yönleri ile farklılık gösterdiği karşılaştırmalı olarak incelenmiştir. Çalışan kadınların ücretsiz bakım emeği sorununa yönelik olarak Covid-19 döneminde seçilmiş ülkelerde uygulanan çözüm mekanizmalarına ebeveyn izni, esnek ve uzaktan çalışma düzenlemeleri, iş-aile uyumu politikaları, bakım hizmetleri ve finansal destekler başlıkları altında yer verilmiştir.

Keywords

Sosyal Politika, Kadın İşgücü, Covid-19, Toplumsal Cinsiyet, Ücretsiz Bakım Emeği

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