b'Soroptimist InternationalReport for the High-Level Political Forum The Economic Pillar of Sustainable Development Allwomenandgirls,particularlythosewhonot disproportionately place financial burdens and experiencemultipleandintersectingformsofimpactsonwomenandgirls,consequently discriminationandviolence,areconsistentlyandregressing gender equality efforts. economicallydisadvantagedcomparedtotheir male counterparts. During the COVID-19 pandemic,Torespondtotheseimpactsitisessentialthat the economic disparities and inequalities betweengovernments, in meaningful consultation with and men and women, girls and boys, became even moreinclusion of CSOs and other stakeholders redevelop acute. Worldwide, women were more likely to bepolicieswhichensurethatfullyaddressthe made unemployed during the pandemic and facediscriminatoryfoundationofthesegendered economic insecurity. Additionally, turning back toexperiences. Too often women make decision not traditional gender roles, women were more likely tobecause those are the choices they want, but those step back from work in order to provide child care,arethechoicesthataremoststraightforwardin teachfromhomeandperformothercaringsociety and that are supported by the nuances of responsibilities. As a result of the pandemic, womengovernmentpolicy.Thismustberectifiedif were more likely to risk falling into poverty due toinequalitiesinsociety,andspecificallygender issues like the gender pay gap, women earning lessinequality, are to be overcome.andwomenworkingintheinformaleconomy. Additionally, due to the same issues, many womenWhen addressing the economic inequality faced by lackafinancialsafetynet.Theydonothavewomen and girls, it is essential to acknowledge and equivalentsavingstomentorelyon,andmanyconfront the multifaceted causes for that inequality. womenwerenoteligibleforthesamesocialBarriers to education at all ages, lack of child care protection floors as men. The COVID-19 pandemicaccess,experiencesofgender-basedviolence, madecleartheimpactsofsystemiceconomictrafficking,abusivelabourconditions,andmany gender inequality, the impacts of which in tandemotherfactorspreventwomenandgirlsfrom with the pandemic, will continue for years to come. reachingtheirpotentialandcontributingto economicsustainability.Asanorganisationthat As well as women holding less wealth overall thanseeks to educate, empower and enable women and men,womenalsofounditdifficulttoregaingirls, Soroptimist International views education as a employment after job loss. All these realities meantransformativetool.However,itisimportantto that women are particularly vulnerable to austerityrecognisethatforeducationalopportunitiesto measures,aphenomenonalreadyevidencedbytranslate into sustainable economic outcomes, is it previousmeasurestakenduringausterity.essentialfortheretobeajoined-upapproach Governmentsandinternationalfinancialacrosspolicyareas,ensuringthatwomencanbe institutions(IFIs)shouldfocusontheselessonsequalparticipantsandleadersintheeconomic learnt, and find new, alternative processes that dosphere.20'