Remove systemic blockers to enable access for women to economic and labour markets
SHOBHA SHUKLA - CNS
Economic justice is critical to achieve development justice where no one is left behind
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Unless we remove systemic discrimination, disadvantages and patriarchal barriers, how would we ensure that women and gender diverse peoples in all their diversities are equitably and justly able to access economic markets and labour markets? Economic justice is critical cog-in-the-wheel for development justice.
At the recently concluded intergovernmental meet on financing for development, the outcome document mentions about the importance of "access of women to economic markets, labour markets and the importance of women for the potential benefit that they can bring to the economy, but it does not address the systemic discrimination and disadvantages that women and girls face when trying to access the labour markets and economic markets. These goals cannot be realised unless the principles of decent work and safeguards for fundamental human rights at workplaces of girls, women and gender diverse peoples are not assured," said Zainab Shumail of Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD).
"The outcome document does mention to increasing investment in the care economy and and equitably redistribute the disproportionate share of unpaid care and domestic work done by women, the reference itself does not meet the most progressive existing standards in terms of language on care which the UN's International Labour Organization (ILO) has set out. For example, the outcome document calls on governments to 'recognise, value and equitably redistribute' whereas the ILO calls to 'recognise, redistribute, reduce reward and represent unpaid care and domestic work'. This shows a missed opportunity for governments to advance normative frameworks and commitments to care economy within the text of outcome document," said Swetha Sridhar, Senior Global Policy Research Officer at Fos Feminista.
Let us not forget that the linkage between gender equality, human rights and SDGs is especially critical in the context of achieving SDGs in the next 5 years. We need gender equality, sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice, and bodily autonomy to be reflected in conversations on development and development financing urgently. And as Swetha Sridhar pointed out, without major reforms and restructuring of the international financial architecture, the implementation of the outcome document of fourth financing for development meet, will continue to advance the current problematic financial norms, while economic, gender, and reproductive justice will remain unattainable for women, girls, and gender diverse individuals.
Unless we go for structural reforms, stop privatisation of public services - so that public health, education and social support are fully funded - how will we deliver on SDGs where no one is left behind?
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