‘Only when women have a seat at the table will we be able to rebuild in a way that works for all’

The global pandemic has had a devastating impact across the world – but there is an opportunity to address some of the deep-rooted structural inequalities it has exposed and exacerbated.

One that will be missed unless women* have an equal number of seats at the table – now, not at some point in the future.

Bristol’s cabinet member for women and children, Helen Godwin, recently pointed out that only when we have gender parity can we make decisions that work for all.

It’s not a radical suggestion but it will take a determined effort to become a reality; one I fear could be overlooked in the rush to rebuild and move on.

From crash test dummies and space suits to unsuitable medicine and ill-fitting PPE, it’s been proved time and again that a world based on a male ‘one-size-fits-all’ model disadvantages women every day.

Women are well represented, and in many cases overrepresented, among the volunteers working tirelessly to help those in need and the key workers carrying out essential roles during the crisis. But they are not equally represented in the many opinions being put forward about where we go from here and how best to rebuild our city.

Nimco Hussein, Laila Matan, Nimco Hassan and Hibo Mahamoud formed a grassroots group offering support to people in St Paul’s and beyond during the coronavirus crisis – photo courtesy of Hibo Mahamoud

No matter how aspirational and progressive the visions of men might be, the fact remains that men do not have all the answers.

On the world stage, female leaders from Jacinda Ardern in New Zealand to Silveria Jacobs, the prime minister of Sint Maarten, have proved adept at responding to the Covid-19 crisis. Yet in the UK, women are notable for their relative absence in Government briefings. Those who do challenge and pose important questions are told to watch their tone, in the case of Labour MP Rosena Allin-Khan or, like Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis, reprimanded for a “lack of impartiality”.

Women are among the hardest-hit financially and are most likely to have been furloughed or have lost their jobs, according to research by the Institute of Fiscal Studies.

They are also taking on the lion’s share of childcare during lockdown. Research articles by women have plummeted since the pandemic hit, as female academics struggle to juggle childcare and work, yet those by men have increased. This is just one small example of how women’s voices are already being lost.

If we are to take stock of how we do things and seize this opportunity to rebuild our society in a way that is more sustainable, inclusive and fairer for all, we need the voices of all genders, ages, races and backgrounds to be heard and we need them to have a seat at the table.

So, my message to the patriarchy is this: it’s time to loosen the apron strings on a world that has been yours to build, shape and screw up for several centuries and, at the very least, give us equal custody.

Because then we might be able to rebuild a world that genuinely works for everyone.

I recently asked girls, women and non-binary people of Bristol what they would prioritise if they were tasked with rebuilding the city in the wake of Covid-19 – the response was overwhelming.

From addressing a lack of accessibility, affordability and inclusivity to improved green spaces, flexible working, better toilet facilities, embracing an alternative economy, tackling inequalities and domestic violence; ideas and solutions flooded in for what a post-Covid-19 world should look like.

Granted, feedback from within my very limited Twitter bubble may not be an entirely sound basis for shaping the ‘new normal’ but it’s not a bad starting point.

*I talk about women but mean it to be broadly inclusive of anyone currently underrepresented in decision-making

Ellie Pipe is the news and business editor for Bristol24/7

Main photo from Upfest 2018 

Read more: The fight for women’s rights and gender parity in politics