4. THE GENDER EQUALITY LANDSCAPE BEFORE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC Despite the diversity across the OSCE region, it is possible to highlight significant gender gaps that existed before the coronavirus outbreak that are characteristic for all participating States. These particular factors correlate with situations of particular vulnerability for women and have led to the disproportionately negative impacts of the measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic that are discussed in more detail in this report. The categories below are an overview of factors related to women’s empowerment in leadership, in the community (the labour market, in particular) and in the family. Limited political influence Women represent 29 per cent of members of national parliaments in Europe and Central Asia,50 with wide variation. Among OSCE participating States, the range is as low as 12 per cent (Hungary, Liechtenstein) and as high as 46 per cent (Finland, Sweden).51 In Europe, Central Asia and North America, women make up more than 30 per cent of government ministers in only 14 countries, and are more than 50 per cent in only five countries.52 Because women are underrepresented in political leadership, their views and priorities are often overlooked in decision-making, resulting in gender blind policy-making. Economic and financial inequality Labour market segregation is characteristic for the OSCE region. Women are the majority of workers in the health, education and social sectors, but they are underrepresented in top management positions in every sector.53 Women depend heavily on employment that can be considered “insecure” or at-risk (e.g., self-employment or home-based work, part-time, seasonal and informal working arrangements). In Europe and Central Asia, for 50 World Bank, “Proportion of Seats Held by Women in National Parliaments (%)”, <https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SG.GEN.PARL.ZS?view=chart>. 51 Data for May 2020, Inter-Parliamentary Union, “Monthly Ranking of Women in National Parliaments”, <https://data.ipu. org/women-ranking?month=5&year=2020>. 52 The proportion of women government ministers is lowest in the countries of South Caucasus, Central Asia and Western CIS, and the highest in the Nordic countries. See: United Nations Economic Social Council, Economic Commission for Europe, Beijing+25 Regional Review Meeting, “Women’s Leadership in Decision-Making in the ECE Region”, 29 and 30 October 2019, para 12, <https://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/RCM_Website/ECE_AC.28_2019_12-e.pdf>. 53 For example, the WHO estimates that women make up 53 per cent of physicians and 84 per cent of nurses in the European region. In contrast, they make up only 30 per cent of ministers of health. See: WHO, Gender Equity in the Health Workforce: Analysis of 104 countries”, March 2019 https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/311314/WHO-HIS-HWF-Gender-WP1-2019.1-eng.pdf?ua=1; and WHO/Europe, “Call for More Women in Public Health Leadership Roles”, 7 March 2018, <https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/ health-determinants/gender/news/news/2018/3/call-for-more-women-in-public-health-leadership-roles>. 18