Joanne O’Neill, ActionAid, reports on the recent Cross Party Group meeting on Feminist Wellbeing Economies
With its focus on growth through privatisation, deregulation and liberalisation, the current economic approach has proved deeply harmful to gender equality, and especially to the most marginalised women and girls. It is driving the destruction of the planet whilst fuelling inequality rooted in colonialism – shifting resources from the global South to the global North.
The Covid pandemic, the increasing climate emergency, and the cost of living crisis have all exposed the deep flaws in this system and highlighted the racist and sexist divisions in the economy. It is a system which ignores the importance of care work, whether unpaid or paid, whilst the wealth of billionaires and multinationals continues to grow.
ActionAid has long called for a shift towards feminist economic alternatives that prioritise care, wellbeing, gender equality and human rights. It is clear this shift is needed now – more urgently than ever.
Malawi – why the current economic model isn’t working
Most recently, ActionAid UK has been working with colleagues in Malawi to examine whether the current economic model is working for women and girls there. The short answer is, it isn’t.
In Malawi, the pursuit of a neoliberal approach to economic development has not resulted in the eradication of poverty or inequality. Despite being rich in natural resources and having a vibrant youth population, 70% of Malawi – or 13 million people – live on less than $2.15 a day.
Since the 1980’s, economic reforms linked to loans or policy advice from the World Bank and IMF, have led to sustained cuts in public services, such as health and education, with women filling the gaps through their unpaid care work, which remains invisible and unrecognised.
This situation is being compounded by the debt crisis engulfing the country and crippling public service delivery. Last year, Malawi’s debt hit 66% of GDP and it is predicted to rise. At the same time, Malawi loses over $60 million every year to multinationals and wealthy elites diverting their profits and wealth to tax havens – equivalent to more than 30% of the country’s health budget.
Meanwhile, in global value chains, where thousands of women in Malawi are employed, there have been allegations of low pay, poor working conditions and systemic gender-based violence, including sexual assault.
How would a Feminist Wellbeing Economy make a difference?
A feminist wellbeing economy approach aims to shift the focus of economic policy towards wellbeing, human rights and climate justice. It moves beyond using GDP as a measure of economic ‘success’ to metrics which measure wellbeing.
Crucially, a feminist wellbeing economy recognises and values unpaid care work as the foundation of society and the economy. It prioritises cooperation, solidarity, trust and the collective over individualism, competition and privatisation.
In Malawi, ActionAid has been working with young women who are calling on their government to urgently adopt a feminist wellbeing approach to the economy.
How can the Scottish Government support?
There is much that can be done by global North governments – including the Scottish Government – in making a new, feminist economy a reality.
The Scottish Government has already committed to taking a feminist approach to foreign policy and this is to be commended. Positively, Scotland has also committed to taking a wellbeing economy approach.
The Scottish Government must now align its domestic and foreign policy ambitions and ensure a gender-responsive approach is taken to trade, taxation, corporate accountability, and other macroeconomic issues.
This includes supporting calls for the eradication of tax avoidance, evasion and illicit financial flows, and supporting the creation of a UN body on Tax. At the same time, the Scottish Government should support debt cancellation and workout mechanisms.
The movement towards a feminist wellbeing economy continues to gain pace – and Scotland should make sure it is at the forefront.
Author: Joanne O’Neill, ActionAid UK