Social protection policies include programs that help prevent poverty and destitution through social assistance, social insurance, social care services, and labor market programs. Working conditions of women DW in Peru tend to be informal, discriminatory and with limited coverage of social protection.

In Peru, it is estimated that 72.1% of DW lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who kept their jobs experienced reduced working hours and pay. If not addressed, the lack of social protection policies will affect DW’s quality of life, decrease their productivity and increase the risk of further impoverishment.

Aim

To examine the working conditions and access to health care of women DW in Peru and to propose recommendations to improve their access to social protection for a more inclusive and sustainable recovery of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Study design

This study will have a sequential mixed-methods design with a community-based participatory action research approach, of 4 phases:

• Phase 1: secondary data analyses of national surveys will describe and compare the health and employment characteristics, along with health care access of women DW before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Phase 2: face-to-face surveys in three Peruvian regions to compare working conditions and access to health care among different groups of DW.
• Phase 3: in-depth interviews to further explain the main findings of Phase 2.
• Phase 4: deliberative dialogues with key stakeholders to co-design recommendations to improve access to social protection for DW in Peru.

Result

The primary anticipated result will be designing relevant recommendations for the local context that would improve social protection policies of the DW in Peru.

Contact

Janeth Tenorio, PharmD, MSc

janeth.tenorio.m@upch.pe

Karina Romero, MSc

karina.romero.r@upch.pe