Gendered and differential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on paid and unpaid work in Nigeria

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent policy responses continue to have widespread social and economic effects across the globe. These effects are not experienced equally. Taking Lagos as a case study, we explored gendered and differential effects of COVID-19 and subsequent policy responses on paid and unpaid work. Using an intersectionality framework and qualitative methodology, we analyze how social divisions interacted, contributing to individual experiences of the pandemic. Drawing on gender-disaggregated interviews with sixty market traders, adolescents, persons with disabilities, and health workers, we bring to the forefront nuanced experiences of marginalization and social inequalities which are often invisible or ignored. We find gender to be a crucial social division in the experience of paid and unpaid work in Nigeria, with other divisions such as occupation, age, ability, class, and parenthood further determining the extent of this experience. Consequently, we offer insights for social and policy actions that can ameliorate identified inequalities. We encourage other researchers to adopt an intersectional approach in research that contributes to building back better in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Keywords

• COVID-19 pandemic
• gender
• intersectionality
• unpaid work
• paid work