Feminist Agenda

Because of the sexual division of labor, women have been subsidizing the entire global economy through their unpaid domestic and care work. The ongoing crises have sparked a demand for rethinking economies, moving beyond GDP growth to acknowledge planetary boundaries and women's unpaid labor.

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Gender equality and women's rights are central to every aspect of the FfD agenda. The framework encompasses addressing the care economy's vital role as both a shock absorber and public care provider, filling gaps left by underfunded health and social protection systems, particularly in Global South countries.

The Challenge

Women globally spend an average of four hours and 25 minutes daily on unpaid care and domestic work, compared to men's average of just one hour and 23 minutes. Progress in closing this gap is incredibly slow, changing by less than a minute per year. If properly valued, this work would represent the equivalent to US$11 trillion.

Ensuring gender-responsive public services is crucial for upholding human rights and transforming women's lives. Quality provision of early childcare, education, health, water, as well as investments in energy, agriculture, and social protection are essential. However, chronic underfunding of public services, particularly in developing countries, has persisted for decades, hindering progress towards achieving the SDGs and hampering effective responses to the ongoing crises.

Our Recommendations

1. Transform global and national economic systems to support a feminist, decolonial, green economy. This involves shifting production and consumption patterns towards sustainable practices, divesting from harmful industries, and redirecting budgets towards care and equitable COVID-19 recovery.

2. Restructure the global trade system to support local and small producers, reduce economic dependency on harmful industries, and provide special treatment for developing countries in trade agreements.

3. Democratize the global economic and financial architecture by reforming governance structures, promoting participatory decision-making, and restoring the UN's leadership role in macroeconomic issues.

4. Redistribute wealth and resources through a progressive UN global tax system, combating illicit financial flows and implementing progressive fiscal policies.

5. End the sovereign debt crisis and promote debt justice by enacting a multilateral mechanism for debt cancellation within the UN and aligning restructuring efforts with climate reparations and sustainability.

6. End corporate capture of global public goods and services, prioritize human rights, and regulate economic policies to ensure accountability and environmental protection.

7. Ensure climate finance is gender-just and supports feminist solutions to the climate crisis, providing predictable, adequate, and transparent funding, with a focus on adaptation and mitigation, and involving grassroots organizations in decision-making and funding distribution.