62 Addressing Inequality During the Pandemic 252 The United Nations (2020) pointed out that gender-based violence is increasing exponentially as the economic and social stress, combined with restricted movement and social isolation measures, brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic intensifies. Many women are locked down at home with their abusers. At the same time, support services to survivors are disrupted or not accessible.223 253 In the CHR’s 2020 report, the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on women, girls and other marginalized sectors was emphasized. It was stressed that the pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing inequalities and stigma, and made the impact of these inequalities life threatening and dangerous. This has not changed in 2021.224 254 A 2021 Social Weather Station (SWS) survey provides a snapshot of the continuing devastation brought about by the pandemic, even well into 2021. Of the women surveyed in the last quarter of 2020, 63.02% reported that their quality of life worsened, 36.4% reported being in the poverty line, while 47.58% reported being poor.225 255 Self-report survey from SWS also show that 47.88% of women were reported losing their jobs. With constant repatriation, the number of women migrant workers has also decreased from 1.9M in 2020 to 1.23M in 2021.226 256 As the crisis brought about by the pandemic continued in 2021, ensuring access to sexual and reproductive health and rights and the need to ensure maternal health remains a continuing concern. As it is, the disruption of access to family planning commodities and services is already expected to increase the number of unintended pregnancies. In a study conducted by the University of the Philippines Population Institute and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), unintended pregnancies among females ages 15 to 49 is expected to increase by more than 40% to 2.5 million.227 257 Food insecurity and hunger has worsened. With government aid in the form of the Social Amelioration Program largely concentrated during the first few months of the crisis, support during subsequent lockdowns have been wanting. SWS survey at the end of 2020 support this, with 15.86% of women reporting hunger—almost doubling the percentage of 8.8% in December of 2019.228 223 United Nations. (2020). Policy Brief: The Impact of COVID-19 on Women. Retrieved from https://www.unwomen. org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2020/policy-brief-the-impact-of-COVID-19-onwomen-en.pdf ?la=en&vs=1406 224 Commission on Human Rights Gender Equality and Women’s Human Rights Center. (2021). Gender Ombud Report: January to June 2021. 225 SWS.Fourth Quarter of 2020 Social Weather Survey. https://www.sws.org.ph/downloads/media_release/pr20201214%20 -%20SWR%202020-IV%20Self-Rated%20Poverty%20and%20Self-Rated%20Food%20Poverty%20(media%20release). pdf (accessed last 28 August 2021) 226 Philippine Statistics Authority. (2021). PSA Issues Updates on Women and Men in the Philippines. https://psa. gov.ph/gender-stat 227 Pierson and See. (2021). The pandemic is fueling a baby boom in the Philippines. For some, that’s bad news. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2021-01-06/the-philippines-girds-for-a-baby-boom-after-yearsof-declining-birth-rates (accessed 31 August 2021) 228 Social Weather Station. Fourth Quarter of 2020 Social Weather Survey. https://www.sws.org.ph/downloads/media_ release/pr20201214%20-%20SWR%202020-IV%20Self-Rated%20Poverty%20and%20Self-Rated%20Food%20 Poverty%20(media%20release).pdf (accessed last 28 August 2021)