Objective of the Seminar The primary objective of the seminar was to examine how the pandemic and the lockdown affected the status and well-being of women and how existing gender inequalities intensified during the crisis. The seminar sought to bring these concerns to the attention of policymakers and relevant government agencies and to develop recommendations that could contribute to appropriate policy interventions. The discussions emphasised that the consequences of the pandemic were not gender-neutral. Women experienced the effects of the health crisis alongside pre-existing social and economic inequalities. The increased burden of unpaid care work, difficulties in accessing healthcare and reproductive services, and the heightened risk of domestic violence were identified as major concerns. Impact on Women's Health The seminar highlighted the serious consequences of the pandemic and lockdown for women's health. Malnutrition and inadequate access to healthcare were identified as factors that could increase women's vulnerability during the pandemic. Economic hardship and the high cost of private healthcare also meant that many women tended to neglect their own health needs. Particular concern was expressed about the disruption of reproductive and maternal healthcare services during the lockdown. Pregnant women faced difficulties in accessing medical attention, while restrictions and disruptions at hospitals and primary healthcare centres created additional barriers to essential services. The seminar therefore stressed the need to strengthen public healthcare services and ensure that women's access to essential, reproductive and maternal healthcare is protected even during public health emergencies. Universal access to healthcare was presented as an important policy priority. Increased Burden of Domestic Work Another major issue discussed was the unequal distribution of domestic and care work. In India, women traditionally perform a substantially greater share of household responsibilities, including cooking, cleaning, childcare, caring for elderly family members, fetching water and other household tasks. According to the figures discussed at the seminar, women spent approximately 352 minutes a day on household work, compared with about 52 minutes for men. During the lockdown, the closure of schools, restrictions on movement and the presence of all family members at home substantially increased the amount of domestic work. The seminar referred to survey findings comparing domestic work before and during the lockdown. Although some men reported spending more time on household activities during the lockdown, this did not necessarily reduce women's workload. For many women, the total number of hours devoted to domestic responsibilities increased. The discussion therefore underlined the need to recognise unpaid domestic and care work as an important social and economic contribution and to promote a more equitable sharing of household responsibilities. Increased Domestic Violence The seminar also drew attention to the serious problem of domestic violence against women during the pandemic. Although comprehensive data on the increase in domestic violence in India during the lockdown were limited, complaints received by the National Commission for Women (NCW) indicated a significant rise. The seminar noted that NCW helplines received approximately twice as many domestic-violence complaints in April as in the preceding month. The discussion also pointed out that reported cases represent only a fraction of the actual problem, as many incidents of domestic violence remain unreported. Lockdown restrictions could further isolate women experiencing abuse by limiting their access to relatives, friends, neighbours and other support networks. The seminar highlighted the shortage of shelters and support facilities for women facing domestic violence. It called for the establishment of more short-stay homes, shelters and other support mechanisms so that women in unsafe domestic situations have access to protection and assistance. The relationship between alcohol consumption and domestic violence was also discussed. Concerns were raised that the expansion of liquor sales following the relaxation of lockdown restrictions could have serious consequences for women and families experiencing domestic violence. Key Participants The seminar was envisaged as a platform bringing together representatives from a wide range of sectors. Participants included senior and middle-level government officials from the Ministries and Departments of Health and Family Welfare, Women and Child Development, Social Justice, and other allied departments. The programme also included members of the National Commission for Women, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, other commissions, academicians, technical and legal experts, medical practitioners, representatives of non-governmental organisations, social activists and members of the media. Such broad participation was intended to encourage dialogue among policymakers, experts, civil society organisations and practitioners working on women's rights and welfare. Major Concerns and Recommendations The seminar brought forward several important areas requiring policy attention: Ensuring uninterrupted access to essential healthcare and reproductive health services for women during emergencies. Strengthening the public healthcare system and making healthcare accessible to all. Recognising and addressing the disproportionate burden of unpaid domestic and care work carried by women. Developing stronger mechanisms for preventing and responding to domestic violence. Increasing the availability of shelters and short-stay homes for women facing violence or unsafe living conditions. Ensuring that government policies introduced during public emergencies take into account their different effects on women and men. Improving coordination among government agencies, civil society organisations and support institutions working for women's welfare. Giving greater visibility to women's concerns in policymaking and public discussions concerning pandemic recovery. Conclusion The National Seminar “Women Under Pandemic” provided an important platform for examining the gendered impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. The discussions demonstrated that the crisis did not affect all sections of society equally. Women faced overlapping challenges involving healthcare access, increased unpaid domestic and care responsibilities, economic and social vulnerability, and domestic violence. The seminar emphasised that women's concerns must be incorporated into disaster management, public health and social protection policies rather than being treated as secondary issues. It also stressed that addressing these challenges requires stronger public services, effective support systems and greater recognition of women's rights and contributions. The issues discussed remain significant for building a more equitable and resilient society. The seminar's emphasis on universal healthcare, protection from violence, shared domestic responsibilities and gender-sensitive policymaking highlighted the importance of placing women's needs at the centre of future crisis-response and recovery strategies.

National Seminar: Women Under Pandemic

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