Press Release: Jan. 6, 2021
Women with young children (0-14 years old) are twice as likely to experience unemployment as compared to men in the same situation, according to the longitudinal Socioeconomic Impacts of COVID-19 Survey in Israel, administered by the Social Policy Institute at Washington University in St. Louis. Additionally, rates of depression, anxiety and loneliness were higher among women from low-income households with young children than women from high-income households.
Two waves of the Socioeconomic Impacts of COVID-19 Survey in Israel, administered in June and mid-September/mid-October, revealed the impact of COVID-19 on women with young children in the following ways:
Unemployment:
- Based on data collected over time, twice as many working-age women with young children (17% in June and September) reported that they were unemployed or furloughed as compared to men in the same situation (7% in June; 9% in September).
Childcare:
- About half (47%) of women with young children reported difficulty finding arrangements for their child(ren) during September.
- As of September, 40% of women with young children reported that the difficulty of finding child care made it difficult to return to work.
Mental Health:
- As of September, more than a third (37%) of women with young children reported that their mental health had deteriorated compared to three months prior, and nearly half (46%) said their mental health deteriorated since the outbreak.
- Additionally, more than half (51%) of women with young children reported in September that they suffered from anxiety, 39% from depression, and 35% from loneliness.
- Women with young children from low-income households reported, on average, a higher level of anxiety (59% vs. 44%), a higher degree of depression (44% vs. 36%), and a higher degree of loneliness (45% vs. 24%) than high income women in the same situation.
These results demonstrate several concerning trends—particularly related to the workforce. This could inequitably disrupt the career trajectories and advancement opportunities of women with young children, as well as reduce the number of women represented in leadership roles. Without financial support for working families, such as direct cash payments and flexible time off from employers, working families will continue to exit the workforce.
Learn more about the impact of COVID-19 on working families (non-gender specific) in Israel at SocialPolicyInstitute.wustl.edu.