The feminist movement, activists, and academics have always brought unique contributions to traditional economics. For more than five decades, feminist economists have been bringing to the forefront issues such as unequal power relations within homes, in communities, and in policy-making, unequal development, the social construction of gender, the contribution of care work within the economy, its intersection with race and other identities, which mainstream and traditional economics often disregard or ignore. It challenges the often masculinized or gender-neutral approach of traditional economics and is an extension of the feminist movements’ struggle for equality and women’s human rights across all domains of our lives. 

Today, while feminist economics has not yet been fully accepted and made central to mainstream and traditional economics and politics, the importance of the field is undeniable. The current global crisis, along with the last several economic crises (of the 1997-1998 to the more recent 2008-2009s) and its disproportionate impact on women, have once again highlighted the need for an economic analysis and economic solutions that takes gender inequalities into account, that challenges some of the basic assumptions of traditional economics and that brings about a new development paradigm that is feminist. 

This report is part of the efforts by feminist groups and allies of the Generation Equality Forum (GEF) Action Coalitions on Economic Justice and Climate Justice to contribute to the existing bodies, resources, tools and broad advocacy strategies for a feminist economic justice agenda that works for the people and the planet.

This report aims to contribute to the conversations and decision-making that takes place within two of the Action Coaltions — Economic Justice and Climate Justice — through recommendations of key shifts and transformation that are necessary for global feminist economic justice and climate justice. It both aligns with and builds upon the Feminist COVID-19 Collective principles.

It aims to further strengthen a joint strategy that promotes systemic economic change through much-needed dialogues and exchanges between unique and diverse partners, and between a range of diverse and yet interconnected issues—from those working on gender-impact investing and fossil fuel divestment campaigners to experts in gender-responsive budgeting and those advocating for fiscal space for financing gender equality and social protection. The interconnectedness between these issues and the movements that champion them is needed in order to achieve global feminist economic and climate justice.