Giving Compass' Take:

• Global Citizen points out the glaring gaps in Latin America's efforts to support women domestic workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

• What are the root causes of gender inequities in COVID-19 recovery efforts? How are you supporting women domestic workers in your community and around the world during the pandemic?

• Learn about a fund that supports domestic workers during the pandemic.

Studies show that women are one of the most affected groups during crises, yet female domestic workers have received limited social protection or economic relief.

A women’s activist group in Guatemala, called Asociación de Trabajadoras del Hogar, a Domicilio y Maquila (ATRAHDOM), is one of many organizations speaking out about the discrepancy.

The UN estimates that about a third of domestic workers in Guatemala have lost their jobs due to COVID-19. With fears of spreading the virus, many workers have either resigned or employers have let them go, placing them at heightened risk of poverty.

This trend is not limited to just Guatemala — female domestic workers across the region are facing similar hardships.

In Latin America and around the Caribbean, between 10.5% and 14.3% of women work in the domestic sector. Furthermore, 93% of domestic workers in the region are women. The largest number of women domestic workers are in Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil.

Women who are still employed in these roles have played an important role in mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic by caring for children, and people who are sick, or dependent on care. By doing this, they are on the frontlines of the pandemic and potentially exposing themselves to infection.

Despite the contributions these women have made supporting others who are affected by the virus, they are one of the worst affected groups, according to UN Women.

Domestic workers are more susceptible to the effects of the pandemic, without social protections such as health care, paid sick leave, or time off. Women employed in domestic work also earn 50% less than average, resulting in limited economic resources to fall back on during crises.

Read the full article about women domestic workers in Latin American during COVID-19 at Global Citizen.