Gender equality comes under the spotlight during COVID-19

For Warrnambool's Cherie Geyer working remotely as a teacher with twin toddlers was not something she ever thought she'd face.

The Warrnambool Special Developmental School teacher said she was lucky to have good support from her partner who has her own business and was home from 9.15am till about 2.15pm to do the school bus run.

"So I actually have an extra pair of hands for some of it but it's still bedlam because they're still two," she said.

"We don't have a huge house and they're pretty Mamma obsessed at the moment.

"Even when I'm supposed to be away working they need you. As a result I'm sort of working a lot of my days off just to catch up on the time to get everything done that I need to."

Ms Geyer said she hoped one thing to come from the upheaval of the coronavirus pandemic was that jobs predominantly done by women, such as teachers, childcare educators and nurses would be valued more.

"I don't know what is going to come out at the end of all this but I do hope it does because we're passionate, we love our work," she said.

"We don't do it for the money, we do it because we love working with kids.

"We love watching their growth and seeing everything they do everyday and I really hope that everybody else sort of jumps on board as well.

"If I had to choose I would be in the classroom without a doubt. Sitting in front of a computer all day is not what we signed up for. We signed up for interacting with the kids and being with them."

Ms Geyer said the first days of remote learning had been challenging but she wanted parents to know that everything would be OK.

"It's more important to be looking out for each other and your mental health is the most important thing because it's not going to be forever," she said.

"I'm really about pushing for positivity and keeping things light-hearted and fun while being as supportive as we can of each other.

"It's a stressful time for us all which is not an ideal time to learn, if you're not coping for the day just write the day off and get back on the horse tomorrow."

She said one positive thing was the time families were having together was creating strong bonds.

"The feedback we're getting from parents is 'my kids haven't said they love me anywhere near as much as this time in isolation', because they're spending a lot of quality time with their families which is just lovely feedback to hear. I could hear that everyday of the week."

Honeypot Childcare Centre owner Georgia Fleming said despite her team working and mixing with different children each day they were not valued or recognised as other essential workers.

"With the hospital staff of course they're right at the frontline," she said.

"Our staff are still put in that position.

"I feel that they don't value us as they should."

She said the centre was open to children of essential workers and vulnerable children.

"We're lucky to still be working and giving those children routine which they do need," she said.

"I'm happy to do that because I think the normal it is the better it is for these children. But it's not just looking after children, it's about their development and everything that goes with it. It's a big job but it's a very rewarding job."

To promote gender equity 50 organisations, including Women's Health Barwon South West (WHBSW), made a joint statement calling for state and federal governments to recognise the gendered impacts of COVID-19.

WHBSW chief executive officer Emma Mahony said overwhelmingly the scale of the response had been incredibly positive.

"But because the world is not equal how different parts of the community experience COVID-19 is different," she said.

The joint statement said many women were on the front line, delivering essential services in nursing, disability and mental health care, aged-care, early childhood education, teaching, family violence, housing and homelessness, social support and retail. "As public fear, concerns for ill-health, financial strain and mandatory isolation intensify in the community, women at the front line are at increased risk of gendered violence," the statement said.

"Gendered work in caring professions has traditionally been low paid and insecure, yet Victorian women are now finding themselves delivering whole of community solutions that support the entire state economy and public health plans

"Now that schools have moved online with limited face-to-face care and assistance to essential service workers, it will be women who continue to take on most of the unpaid care work, reducing their hours or giving up paid work, turning the clock back on gender equality.

"Or they will battle on in an unenviable juggle of keeping both care work and remote employment going at the same time."

The organisations called for 10 things governments could do address the impacts of COVID-19 on women and gender diverse people, including protect obstetric, gynaecological, sexual and reproductive health services and provide recognition and support to carers and educators at home.