Sixty percent of women lost jobs since start of Covid-19 pandemic: survey

Some 60 percent of over 570 working women have lost their jobs since the Covid-19 outbreak, according to the latest survey.  

The Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Union conducted a survey in January and collected responses from 886 women. The results were released on International Women's Day on Tuesday.  

The results showed that over 570 women had jobs before the pandemic. Among them, 60 percent lost their jobs when the coronavirus outbreak hit the city, and 40 percent were either underemployed or asked to take leave without pay.  

The survey also revealed that some 10 percent of respondents saw their families' monthly income decrease by over HK$10,000 during the pandemic.  

Over 80 percent of respondents hoped the government to extend the coverage of the HK$10,000 electronic consumption vouchers as well.  

A single parent surnamed Tang, who has three children aged four to 12, worked as a clerk and a part-time fitness dancing teacher.  

Since the outbreak of the fifth wave, her company suspended half of all staffers, including her, from work, and her income soon dropped to zero due to the mandatory closure of entertainment premises and fitness centers, banning her from teaching any classes.  

Tang worried her financial situation could no longer support the family's daily expenditure and became stressed as she had to take care of the children who were having online classes at home at once. She also said she wants nothing but a steady job so that she can feed the children.  

The federation's chairman Lam Chun-sing said the sixth round of the anti-pandemic funding was approved by the finance committee of the Legislative Council in mid-February. Still, the application for the temporary unemployment relief has yet to be opened, he pointed out, urging the government to follow up on the issue immediately.  

He noted that restaurant workers, who have been suspended from work but not fired, should also be eligible for the scheme.  

Lam also called on the government to launch more policies to support women's employment and encourage childbirth, including increasing the number of available nurseries and fully-paid maternity leave.