International Women's Day - 8 March 2019

Eurodad Director Jean Letitia Saldanha on International Women's Day 2019

Economic justice for gender justice

By Tove Maria Ryding

A central part of today’s unjust economic system is the disadvantageous position of women compared to men. Women are more likely to live in poverty, and are more strongly impacted by increasing global economic inequality. The difference between men and women in access to decent jobs and equal pay, as well as numerous examples of discrimination regarding ownership and inheritance rules are just some of the factors that maintain and reinforce these inequalities. Severe under-representation of women and girls in economic and wider societal decision-making at all levels adds further to the structural inequalities.

News & reports

Public private partnerships undermine gender equality and women's rights

By Maria José Romero

With International Women’s Day and the next session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) fast approaching, now is the time to unpack how PPPs impact gender equality and women’s rights. Indeed, the risks and consequences associated with PPPs can undermine the achievement of governments’ commitments under Agenda 2030 to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including gender equality and the fulfilment of women’s rights.

Making tax work for women's rights

By Olivia Lally

Today, March 8th, marks International Women’s Day and the launch of the Global Days of Action on Tax Justice for Women’s Rights, coordinated by the Global Alliance for Tax Justice. News headlines will rightly focus on the oppression, discrimination and systemic inequalities faced by women, but one point that is often overlooked is the many ways in which the tax system, like other policies and structures, offers a transformative tool for redistribution and financing gender equity.

Taking a vital step to create an economy that serves the people and to safeguard women's rights

By Mark Perera

Austerity measures, widely implemented in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis have resulted in budget cuts to, and privatisation of, public services in many countries. These have had a disproportionate impact on women and girls, since accessible and high-quality healthcare and education – as well, for example, as improved access to water, gas, electricity and safe transport services – are all critical to advancing a gender justice agenda. In his latest blog, our Senior Networking and Advocacy Officer, Mark Perera, writes that new UN guidance can help anchor economic policy-making to universal human rights, a vital step to create an economy that serves the people and to safeguard women's rights.

Useful resources

Can public-private partnerships deliver gender equality?

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are being actively promoted by donor governments and international financial institutions to fund social services and infrastructure projects around the world. They feature prominently as a financing mechanism for delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Mixed messages - the rhetoric and the reality of using blended finance to 'leave no one behind'

Blended finance – combining concessional public finance with non-concessional private finance and expertise from the public and private sector1 – is often presented as a key means of implementation for the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This briefing aims to unpack some of the potential gendered implications of blended finance – focusing on marginalised women, such as women with disabilities.

#EconomicJustice for #GenderJustice

This newsletter has been produced with co-funding from the European Union, Bread for the World and Norad. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Eurodad and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the funders.