UNLIKE MOST PAST ECONOMIC CRISES, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DISPROPORTIONATELY HARM WOMEN’S EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME. FROM A MEDICAL POINT OF VIEW, IT SEEMS THAT MEN ARE MORE VULNERABLE TO THE VIRUS, PARTICULARLY IN TERMS OF DEATHS (GLOBAL HEALTH 50-50 2020). HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES TO THE WIDER SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE CRISIS, IN MANY WAYS IT IS WOMEN ON THE FRONT LINE. WOMEN REPRESENT A LARGE PROPORTION OF JOBS IN MANY OF THE SECTORS MOST IMMEDIATELY AFFECTED BY COVID 19 SUCH AS RETAIL. ISTAT DATA FOR APRIL CONFIRM THE TREND: ON AN ANNUAL BASIS (APRIL 2020 — APRIL 2019) THERE IS A STRONG OVERALL NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE ITALIAN LABOUR MARKET, WITH A TOTAL LOSS OF 497 THOUSAND EMPLOYED, MORE SUBSTANTIAL AMONG WOMEN BOTH IN ABSOLUTE VALUE (-286 THOUSAND AND -211 THOUSAND, RESPECTIVELY) AND AS A PERCENTAGE CHANGE (-2.9 % AND -1,