The Global Thematic Consultation on Addressing Inequalities in the Post-2015 Development Agenda, led by UNICEF and UN Women with support from the Governments of Denmark and Ghana, was held in Copenhagen Denmark from February 18 to 19, 2013 to review the final report and findings of the discussions on how to address inequalities in the post-2015 agenda. DAWN’s Nicole Bidegain was invited to speak at the Public Dialogue Meeting on Day 1 (18 February 2013).
Framing Questions: Why do inequalities matter? What impacts do they have – for both societies and individuals?
Why do inequalities matter?
· Inequalities matter because they are indicators of deeper structural problems. From one side, they are the consequence of a system of production that subordinates the care and the wellbeing of people to the private accumulation of profits, and also causes severe ecological impacts. On the other side, they are the consequence of a system based on hierarchized power relations based not just on economics but on a host of historically long-held identities and characteristics, such as, gender, class, race, age, sexual orientation, caste, ethnicity, abilities. These are hard and complex political issues that should be addressed around the inequalities debate. These structural problems should be challenged if we want to overcome the root causes of inequalities and not just the symptoms.
· Also talking about inequalities is talking about mal-redistribution. During the last 30 years, financial and trade liberalization, labour market deregulation and cutback in social services produced an even more unequal distribution wherein resources were channeled from the poor and concentrated in the rich (Ha-Joon Chang, 2010). Therefore, levels of profit, private accumulation and consumption increased for certain groups while the Human Rights of the majority of women and men were not fulfilled.
· Moreover, some studies have even affirmed that in some cases gender-based wage inequality was a stimulus to economic growth (Seguino 2000). Thus, it is important to break the “global race to the bottom” to ensure that structural inequalities among genders, race or migration status are not exploited as an incentive for profit generation.
· Inequalities also matter from an ethical point of view. Inequalities usually hinder the fair distribution among social groups of the social or economic gains that can be collectively produced. Therefore, inequalities diminish the poverty reduction potential of economic growth.
Three examples of structural inequalities from a feminist perspective:
· Inequality in distribution of productive assets within societies means that some economic actors like MNC’s have control over resources such as land, technology, credits while others such as small women farmers don’t. Moreover, in some cases small farmers and women have been displaced, risking their food security because of the expansion of agribusiness.
· Inequality in distribution of care and domestic work within societies is worsening girl’s and women’s opportunities to access education and lifelong learning opportunities, paid work and equal wages. leisure time, political and community participation. Global care chains also imply a “care drain” from developing to developed countries.
· Finally, the structure of constraint for women, girls and LGBTI people to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights is a core element of gender inequality. The fact that men still control women’s and girl’s bodies and police these through all forms of violence against women, girls and LGBTI people, is a gross violence of their human rights. SRHR is a basis for women’s, girl’s and LGBTI people’s bodily autonomy and social empowerment.
As Mr. Christian Friis Bach, Minister for Development Cooperation of Denmark said this morning, inequalities can be tackled it is just a question of political will. Thank you very much.
References
v Ha-Joon Chang (2010) “23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism”, Penguin Books Ltd; ISBN 978-1-60819-166-6.
v Seguino, Stephanie (2000) “Gender Inequality and Economic Growth: A Cross-Country Analysis”, World Development, 28 (7), 1211-1230.