Covid-19 Pandemic as a Factor in Increasing Gender Inequality In Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

The research is dedicated to the urgent issue of gender inequality in Kyrgyzstan. It evaluates the trend towards increasing gender disparity in the context of the regional gender balance situation in Central Asia. The study examines contemporary directions in the implementation of gender policies in developed countries, taking into account their experience as applicable to Kyrgyzstan. The research aims at identifying the dynamic changes of gender inequality, focusing on the women-housewives’ area of concern in Kyrgyzstan during the COVID- 19 pandemic quarantine. The hypothesis suggests that there has been a surge in gender inequality towards women-housewives during the quarantine period in Kyrgyzstan. Manifested cases of gender inequality attribute to such factors as reduced household income, increased burden on mothers due to school-aged children's shifts to remote learning, and growth of male aggression amid unemployment-related stress. These factors, coupled with the lack of impactful women’s legal protection, significantly worsened the overall status of women, particularly women-housewives. A systemic mixed-method approach is applied as a research methodology. This approach includes interconnected scientific methods: legal analysis, sociological surveys, applied for intensified women-housewives gender inequality cases identification during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Neural Designer analytics program is used to process statistical data. The obtained results include:

1. The rise of gender inequality throughout the pandemic quarantine is confirmed by the majority of respondents. Women-housewives reported reduced household incomes, increased expenses for food and medication, heightened workload due to children's transition to remote learning, worsened access to medical services, deterioration of their own psychological well-being, and an increase in domestic violence. 2. Survey data from women-housewives in Bishkek and Osh cities, as well as two major rural settlements, Gulcha (Osh province) and Belovodskoe in (Chui

province), revealed significant disparities between household conditions and the situation of women-housewives in urban and rural areas. Based on the results, the following conclusions were drawn:

1. State measures are necessary to make improvements in the environment within families and women’s living conditions in rural areas. Attention should be directed towards providing the equal access to education for women and girls in order to achieve gender balance in perspective future. The establishment of the equal access to healthcare services is also a prerequisite condition. 2. Considering launching the legal protection of women’s national awareness campaign is a requirement for achieving gender equality in the near future. Women should not only be aware of their rights but also empowered to defend themselves. Centralized efforts are needed to educate the public and change gender stereotypes.