How to Improve Security Outcomes During a Pandemic? Start with a Gender Lens

In this paper, Sharon Gouveia Feist and Monica S. Herrera state that “Here in Hawai‘i, in response to increased multi-island reporting that landlords are pressuring women for sex in exchange for rent, the State Commission on the Status of Women published guidance and resources for women being exploited by their landlords during this COVID-19 crisis. Every day, physical security is threatened as a direct result of this pandemic. This is addition to other security concerns women uniquely face, such as, economic insecurity as the lower paid workers; family and household insecurity as primary caregivers for the elderly, sick, and out of school youth; and health security as the world increasingly relies upon women serving on the front lines as pandemic responders – over 70% of the healthcare workers are female.”