ALTHOUGH THE GLOBAL economy has largely recovered since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, lingering socio-economic impacts of the pandemic are still largely felt by low-income communities. With increasing costs of living in post-pandemic conditions, these families are feeling the brunt more than ever. These effects are particularly prominent for women and children in low-income households.
Many women were among the first to feel the impact when the economy shut down during the pandemic. In Penang, many of them worked in the retail and hospitality sectors as well as in domestic work—fields characterised by limited job security, minimal benefits along with inadequate and unequal pay. These job insecurities persist, and it is undeniable that female-headed households often face greater challenges compared to male-headed households.
