Many non-governmental organizations that focus on women and their rights share the view that women are more susceptible to being infected with the coronavirus than men due to the specifics regarding the professional perspective.
Of course, health workers, who were in the front lines, are considered to be the most at risk; and women workers in the textile industry and saleswomen. While a larger number of women engaged in some other professions could choose to work from home, these three groups had to stay at their workplaces.
Dr. Slavica Trajkova: I would again choose to be first and I would again choose to go to Debar
Dr. Slavica Trajkova, an infectious disease specialist from the hospital in Veles, was in the first group of doctors who volunteered to treat patients in Debra, a town in western Macedonia, which was the first to be quarantined due to the outbreak of infection caused by the Covid-19 virus. While many of her colleagues were weighing whether they would decide to take such a step or not, which then also meant facing an unknown and unpredictable virus - she says that she did not think about the risk at all, but, on the contrary, only about what she could do for patients.
"If my health serves me and if a similar situation arises, I will again choose to be in the front lines as I did in Debra. I will do my best and commit myself to help patients professionally, responsibly and professionally in accordance with my infectious disease specialty. Of course, regardless of the fact that I'm a woman - I'm not afraid of challenges!" says Dr. Trajkova.
According to scientific research, the risk of occupational exposure of healthcare workers to SARS-KOV-2 can be determined by the probability of direct, indirect or close contact with a person infected with the virus. This includes direct physical contact or care, contact with contaminated surfaces and objects, procedures that expose someone to aerosols from patients infected with the covid 19 virus without appropriate personal protection, or working with infected persons in closed and crowded spaces with inadequate ventilation. According to the latest available data, 2019 people were employed in healthcare by 20.618, of which 14.926 (or 72,39%) were women, while only 5692 or 27,61% were men. This means that even three times more women worked with patients during the corona than men.
According to the data of the non-governmental organization ESEM, the number of female health workers is greater than the number of men, so it can be concluded that most of the problems encountered by health workers affected women. For this reason, the main risk group consists of selected female doctors and nurses who work with them.
"The authorities faced serious problems to acquire personal protective equipment, especially in the first months of the pandemic. At that time, there was a lack of masks, gloves and gels, and the selected doctors were left to procure this equipment themselves. Due to the impossibility of timely procurement of quality protective equipment, doctors and nurses were at increased risk. The elected doctors felt disenfranchised, because the state always provided personal protective equipment for the medical staff at the JZU - while the family doctors, although they represent part of the health system, almost did not receive adequate equipment of this kind at all. At the same time, the state not only did not help them financially, but also did not provide them with any logistical support so that they could purchase personal protective equipment at their own expense," said Darko Antić from ESEM.
The Ministry of Health does not provide specific data or answers to the questions of how many - among the health workers who were in the covid centers, as well as in primary health care - there were women and how many men. They say that everyone had the same treatment regardless of sex and gender. During the pandemic, the healthcare system was organized and prepared for the complete amortization of the influx of patients through the mobilization and organization of all available resources in the country.
"In the infectious wards and clinics where patients with covid were treated, the entire medical staff was engaged in a rotation system, which enabled the reception and good treatment of all patients who needed it. The ban on using annual leave during the pandemic was a decision that applied equally to all healthcare workers, and healthcare workers were not exempt from the right to use measures for pregnant women," said the Ministry of Health.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, 36 health workers have died from the consequences of infection with the covid 19 virus. Despite being the first to be hit, people like Dr. Trajkova accepted their task as socially responsible, brave, persistent and persistent professionals.
"It's us, people in spacesuits, who put our private lives at the service of our professional lives! Someone will ask: Until when? I don't know how long it will last, but I know one thing: we will endure!" said Trajkova.
Women faced with layoffs in the corona crisis - textile workers suffered the most
The cluster of textile workers was one of the largest at the height of the corona pandemic. The covid 19 virus spread rapidly among the employees in the factory halls, and dozens of employees lost their lives. However, another virus hit them. Cancellations. There are no official figures on the gender ratio in this sector either, but the fact is that the majority of employees are women. According to the data of the Society for Research and Analysis in the Textile Sector in 2020, 6783 people were left without a job. But what is worrying is that the trend of layoffs continued in the following year.
"The increasing number of unemployed people in this branch shows that the textile industry needs transformation and additional support from the state, but also from the entire system, in order to make this branch of the economy more competitive, given that our textile industry is largely dependent on orders from abroad." , says Viktor Mitevski from the ZMAI organization.
The textile industry employs over 30.000 people in the country and accounts for 10 percent of total exports. Glasni teksilac says that the biggest victims in this crisis were not only textile workers, but also pregnant women; chronic patients; mothers of children up to 10 years of age, who were covered by the measures, and who were fired due to alleged violations of order and discipline, and were forced to resign by agreement or their employment contracts were not renewed.
"The state could and had to coordinate its activities and respond to all abuses when it comes to workers' rights, salary payments, the right to health insurance, the right to increased compensation in case of temporary unemployment and that everyone has the right to receive that compensation , regardless of the type of termination; and for pregnant women who have lost their jobs, a minimum paid maternity leave should be provided," said Kristina Ampeva from the Glasni teksilac association.
ESEM made a research on the impact of the crisis caused by the corona on women and, according to their data, in 16 out of 25 professions in which women worked in 2020, there was a decrease in the number of employees. Out of a total of 421 women surveyed, 55 of them changed their work status, that is, they were fired. But the biggest changes are observed among those women who were employed for a fixed period of time, on the basis of an employment contract or those who were employed at their own expense.
The number of women who needed state assistance during the pandemic is 100% higher than before it began. But due to the poor condition faced by the families, their help was also used by other members of the households where they live. According to the research, the majority of women used financial assistance for the purchase of products and for activities in tourism. There are also women who applied for some kind of help and support, but did not receive it. Data from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs show that with the six packages of economic measures adopted by the state, 80 jobs were saved. According to the Ministry, the operational employment plan for 2021 foresees that workers who lost their jobs during the pandemic period have an advantage in the use of various employment measures.
"For the first time this year, the operational plan foresees three principles according to which priority is given to those who have lost their jobs: the principle of job loss due to the pandemic caused by the covid 19 virus, then the principle of diversity and inclusiveness and the principle of balanced regional development. Special attention is paid to long-term unemployed persons, vulnerable groups, Roma, unemployed women and young people, as well as unemployed persons whose employment relationship has ended due to the pandemic caused by the covid 19 virus," the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy said.
According to the data of the Ministry, 100 million denars were secured with the last measure for subsidizing wages, so that the new measures would also cover the unemployed. Special attention will be paid to employees in the textile industry. It is predicted that with 866 persons, who were covered by this measure, their number will increase to 1.304. Thus, the total number of unemployed who will be covered by this operational plan will increase from 10.279 to 10.717 persons.
During the quarantine, violence against women increased, and instead of help, they received tourist vouchers
In quarantine with the abuser, for hours and days without the possibility of escaping from home - this is how the situation of a woman victim of domestic violence can be described at the time when the measures adopted during the state of emergency were in effect, during which there were long-term bans on leaving the place of residence. Non-governmental organizations that deal with the protection of women's rights, such as HERA and ESE, pointed out that in such conditions, in addition to the previously more common problems related to domestic violence, such as divorce or custody of children, women victims of domestic violence also faced specific problems. such as psychological and economic violence; court proceedings were delayed and police investigations were ineffective. According to the data of the National Network for Combating Violence against Women, the intensity of violence increased during the state of emergency, and in environments where there was a greater potential for violence, the implementation of restrictive and quarantine measures was a catalyst for its intensification. The limited working capacity of centers for social work and the postponement of court hearings in cases of domestic violence contributed to a decrease in the number of clients who turned to for help and support.
"The Inter-Municipal Center for Social Work functioned via a hotline, and requests for the exercise of citizens' rights were submitted via e-mail. This way of communication limited access to justice for people who do not have a computer and the Internet, and do not know how to use electronic devices. The ineffective handling of the police in cases of domestic violence continued even during the state of emergency. "Namely, cases of domestic violence reported by the victim were documented on several occasions, and after the police visit, the victim was left at home with the abuser, and the case was filed as a complaint," said the non-governmental organization Hera.
This is also confirmed by MUP data from the second quarter of 2020, when there were the most days in which movement was restricted due to the introduced quarantine measure. Namely, in the period from April to June 2020, a total of 985 complaints were registered in the Ministry of the Interior, which is 34% more compared to 2019, i.e. 50% more compared to the same period in 2018. This situation is confirmed by the statement of the Minister of Internal Affairs, according to which the number of reports of domestic violence for the months of April and May 2020 increased by 44,6% compared to the same period last year.
"It is important to note that the state did not provide timely and adequate institutional protection to victims of domestic violence, because emergency state measures to prevent and protect against the spread of the covid 19 virus simultaneously prevented access to women who needed protection from domestic violence. Due to the inappropriate measures taken by the Government for vulnerable categories of citizens, several non-governmental organizations directly responded with letters to the Government. Although the state has introduced new or modified existing measures to facilitate victims' access to reporting and protection from domestic violence, data show that such failures have irreparable consequences for women, such as job loss and falling into poverty accompanied by increased sexual, psychological and physical violence. said Darko Antic from ESEM.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Policy has no explanation regarding what happened in the most risky period. But they say that in January 2021, a new Law on the Prevention and Protection of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence was adopted, and in the past period intensive work was done on its full implementation, which is fully in accordance with the Istanbul Convention of the Council of Europe, which was also ratified by the Republic of North Macedonia.
"In the fight for greater support for women victims of violence, it is particularly important to establish 13 specialized services for the care of women victims of domestic violence and gender-based violence in 6 planning regions, three crisis centers for victims of sexual violence, 10 specialized counseling centers for women victims of violence and domestic violence and eight new specialized counseling centers for psychosocial treatment of perpetrators of domestic violence", announced the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy.
Non-governmental organizations are appealing for an analysis of the real needs of women who suffer domestic violence in the future, so that the example of not receiving assistance for care and economic independence is not repeated, they receive a tourist voucher that they have no time or place to use.
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