Macroeconomics
Issues:
Local Economic Development
The idea that investing in women makes for ‘smart economics’ (a concept promoted by the World Bank) is prevalent in current macroeconomic perspectives on gender equality. The inclusion of women in the labour market through micro credit promotion and other income generating activities is seen as an important means of poverty reduction in this regard. However, the justice or human rights aspects of women’s economic participation are generally less visible, and little attention is given to assessing whether micro-credit and other economic opportunities do actually improve women’s quality of life or whether on the contrary they merely make new demands on women’s time and energy.
Apart from this, macroeconomic analysis and policy still largely excludes gender equality concerns. For example, the contribution of unpaid and informal labour, in its majority performed by women, is usually not included in macroeconomic models and calculations. Neither is the specific economic logic (efficiency, dynamics, and categories) of the paid and unpaid care economy ever considered in macroeconomic reflections. Nor does public investment in the majority of countries consider gender equality issues. Recommendations and measures concerning the financial crisis are usually gender blind and favour predominantly 'male' sectors of employment.
Untilnow, women’s contribution to the economy is systematically underestimated. The fact that their (mostly) unpaid or underpaid work is needed in order to maintain the current global economic system - by reproducing the labour force on a daily and intergenerational basis - is not addressed in mainstream economic analysis. The 'male breadwinner' paradigm – and complementary to it the image of women as 'providers of supplementary income' - is still predominant in analysis, policies and measures even though this concept frequently – and increasingly so – does not correspond with people’s realities.
Links:
GEM-IWG: The International Working Group on Gender, Macroeconomics and International Economics
World Bank: Gender and Development
OECD: Gender Equality and Development
Gender Action: Gender, Justice, Women's Rights
Publications:
UN, Division for the advancement of women: 2009 World Survey on the role of women in development
Oxfam International Discussion Paper 2009: Gender Perspectives on the Global Economic Crisis
AWID 2010: The impact of the crisis on women (regional briefs)
The aim of local economic development is to strengthen local markets and to improve the economic future of a local area. To reach this goal, different actors like local governments, NGOs and the private economic sector have to collaborate. Local economic development processes and practices are not gender-neutral. There exists a strong correlation between equal opportunities for women and men, gender equality and local development. Local economic development practices can reduce gender specific disparities in economic status and opportunities between women and men, can support gender equality through economic policy activities in a specific area, and can strengthen democratic processes and basic rights if they integrate a sound gender analysis into their concepts and projects.
Publications:
SDC, IZFG, Caritas 2011: Added Value, contributions to gender equitable economic development
Engendering Value Chain Promotion in the Livelihoods Programme
Agri_ProFocus 2010: Gender in value chains
ILO 2007: Making the strongest links
