Challenges of women's home and service businesses in the covid 19 pandemic

Abstract

Corona Pandemic, quarantine, and restrictions imposed on businesses, especially in the field of informal employment and services, women in their businesses have faced many problems in terms of providing and developing services. The purpose is to identify the problems of the group of women heads of households who are responsible for home baking and economic affairs and managing family financial resources. Therefore, in this study, from a qualitative approach and thematic analysis method, semi-in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 women and then coded by Max Q.D.A software. A total of 2 main themes, 4 subthemes, 12 concepts, and 110 phrases were extracted. The two main categories of causes of female unemployment in the Covid period were the nature of the job and the effect of the disease on some occupations. Consequences of unemployment in three categories of psychological consequences (decreased self-esteem and depression, reduced female resilience). The decline in women's resilience is due to job losses or unemployment or a reduction in their income. Job consequences, such as lack of skill development and role mixing and the mother-teacher phenomenon, have left women trapped in poverty and precarious jobs, and put double pressure on women. The findings indicate a lack of support based on gender sensitivity. Depression is not only due to economic problems but also due to the increase in gender roles and the return of previous roles of women that were previously left to institutions such as schools or kindergartens;

Keywords

• "home business"
• "gender sensitivity"
• "uncertain jobs"
• "gender resilience"
• "double pressure"