Compiled by Natasha Primo and Viviene Taylor for the DAWN-Africa network, this 1999 manual was developed as a capacity-building tool to promote gendered economic literacy among activists, researchers, and policy-makers. Featuring contributions from feminist scholars including Gita Sen, the publication examines the impacts of neoliberal globalisation and Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs) on women in the Global South. It explores alternative approaches to development, discussing a shift from growth-centred economic models towards an “engendered human development” perspective concerned with equity, well-being, and the fulfilment of basic needs.

The manual examines how macroeconomic policies intersect with existing gender inequalities, paying particular attention to the role of women’s unpaid care and social reproductive labour in sustaining economic restructuring. It discusses the effects of privatisation, currency devaluation, and reductions in public services, exploring how these reforms affect livelihoods, contribute to the feminisation of poverty, and expand participation in precarious forms of work. By linking macroeconomic policy to the everyday experiences of African women, the publication provides an accessible introduction to debates on globalisation, economic reform, and alternative development approaches.