UN makes new appeal for women, hard-hit by virus job losses

The United Nations called Thursday for women to be at the heart of economic reconstruction efforts as the world grapples with fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, warning that most women face a greater risk of poverty.

Although COVID-19 mortality rates appear to affect men more than women, the pandemic "is having devastating social and economic consequences for women and girls," UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned in a statement.

"Nearly 60 per cent of women around the world work in the informal economy, earning less, saving less, and at greater risk of falling into poverty. I urge governments to put women and girls at the centre of their efforts to recover from COVID19," he said.

"I urge governments to put women and girls at the centre of their efforts to recover from COVID-19, to put women's leadership and contributions at the heart of resilience and recovery."