How do fiscal policies have an impact on the enjoyment of human rights and women’s rights in particular? This think piece by the Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) argues that the human rights framework provides a clear and universally recognised foundation for the design, implementation and monitoring of fiscal and economic policies. Such a framework is crucial not only to guarantee the enjoyment of human rights for all – particularly economic, social and cultural rights – but also to ensure the burdens of economic crises no longer disproportionately impact the most marginalised or vulnerable in society, particularly women.
The points presented build on AWID’s analysis on the impacts of the crisis on women across regions conducted during 2009 to 2011 and some of the lessons learned by key feminist economists and women’s rights activists. A key point is that fiscal policy design is not gender-neutral: women’s contribution to the economy is systematically underestimated and there is an unpaid care economy in which women undertake essential work for the good functioning of the market. Further, reduction in social provisions impacts women the most. This think piece has many recommendations, including: the reform of the governance and practices of International Financial Institutions, strengthen the role of human rights frameworks in fiscal policy decision-making, ensure transparency, and increase participation in designing and monitoring fiscal policies.