Gender, Macroeconomics and the International Financial Institutions

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Why This Special Web Dossier?

Overview of Resources:
 » Directory of Modules
 » Economic Literacy Modules
 » Education Techniques
 » Glossary of Terms
 » Web Links
 » Archives

In August 2007, the Heinrich Böll Foundation brought some 65 women and men from 37 countries to Washington, D.C. for our 5th international Summer School on Engendering Economics in a Globalizing World. In an intensive,7-day work program (pdf) focused on the International Financial Institutions (IFIs), they explored the economic policies behind the traditional "neo-liberal" growth agenda of these institutions that are embodied in what is often called The Washington Consensus. These policies form the centerpiece of the conditions for loans and debt relief as well as advice given by the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and regional development banks. Participants also studied gendered critiques of these policies and alternative policies and macroeconomic models that could be used to advance social and gender equality, ecological sustainability, and reduce poverty globally.

The goal of the 2007 hbf Summer School was two-fold. One: to encourage women's groups and feminist activists with no previous experience of economic issues to include economic policy advocacy within their agenda. Second: to encourage economists and development advocates to adopt a gender lens in their work. It brought together activists, leading feminist economists and development practitioners from civil society and governments of all regions of the world.

In order to assist participants with continuing to disseminate the information and insights shared at the Summer School, but more importantly, to make the knowledge and tools for advocating for more gender-aware and socially inclusive macroeconomic policy more widely available, we are delighted to offer this web-based economic literacy dossier on Gender, Macroeconomics and the IFIs. I would like to offer my deepest thanks to Pamela Sparr for her tremendous energy, patience and insights and for her invaluable help in shaping and realizing this dossier.

This web dossier has two primary components -readings and information resources culled from diverse sources and a set of 17 economic literacy modules based on the main themes of the 2007 hbf Summer School on engendering economics. The selection of topics thus does not make any claim to be complete - many issues that undoubtedly could be included here, but have not (yet?) been covered. Information sharing is a continuous process, and this dossier is but a start.

I encourage you to explore the tremendous resources located here. This is a work in progress, so we hope you share with us your thoughts and experiences using them. We'd love to hear from you. Feel free to use, share, alter, and amend the materials of this web dossier for your work and purposes.

Liane Schalatek, Associate Director
Heinrich Böll Foundation North America
Liane[at]boell.org

 
 

Directory of Modules

For “building blocks” to frame your analysis, consider using:
Module 1: basic intro to macroeconomic theory and policies
Module 2: basic intro to a gender analysis
Module 3: introduces a gender critique of standard macroeconomic theory and policies  (also known as the “Washington Consensus”)
Module 13: deepens the analysis in Module 3

For gendered macroeconomic analysis and alternative policies in particular subject areas:
Module 4:  introduces the tool of gender budgeting (for national governments)
Module 10: looks at gender and fiscal policies, including taxation
Module 9: looks at gender and monetary policies, with a focus on inflation and employment
Module 6: a basic introduction of gender and trade
Module 7: a basic introduction of gender and investment
Module 8: a more advanced look at the linkages between trade and finance
Module 5: a basic look at gender and debt

For how the IFIs work and their impact generally:
Module 5: a basic look at gender and debt
Module 11: a more historical and empirical look at IFIs and their impact
Module 12: an overview of the mission and structure of IFIs
Module 10: could be used to look at the various points in a national governments’ budgetary cycle and how the IFIs can intervene

For the IFIs’ gender policies and holding them accountable:
Module 12: IFIs’ mission and structure
Module 13: IFIs’ rationale for and consequences for not using feminist gendered economic policies (may be better to use design Option B in the instructions for this purpose)
Module 14: Gender policies at the World Bank Group and IMF
Module 15: Gender policies at the regional development banks
Module 16: Accountability mechanisms at the World Bank Group and IMF
Module 17: Accountability mechanisms at the regional development banks

For a basic gendered analysis of the political and economic agenda of the IFIs:
Module 5: debt
Module 6: trade
Module 7: investment

For a more advanced look at specific aspects of the political and economic agenda of the IFIs:
Module 8: trade and finance linkages
Module 9: inflation and employment
Module 10: fiscal policy, with a focus on taxation

Back to Overview

 
 

Economic Literacy Modules

Module 1: Why should we Care About “Macroeconomic Policies”?

Module 2: What is “Gender Analysis”?

Module 3: Gender and Macroeconomics – an Introduction

Module 4: Gender and Macroeconomics - National Budgets

Module 5: Gender and Macroeconomic Policies – Debt

Module 6: Gender and Macroeconomics – Trade

Module 7: Gender and Macroeconomics – Investment

Module 8: Trade–Finance Linkages and Gender

Module 9: Inflationtargeting and Employment – A Gendered Examination

Module 10: Gender and Fiscal Policy (Taxation and Budgets)

Module 11: The IFIs – Their Importance to People’s Lives

module 12: The IFIs – Their Mission and Structure

Module 13: The IFIs - Their Rationale for and Consequences of not Using Feminist Gendered Macroeconomic Policies

Module 14: The IFIs – The Gender Policies of the World Bank Group and the IMF

Module 15: The IFIs – The Gender Policies of the Regional Development Banks

Module 16: The IFIs – Accountability Mechanisms at the World Bank Group and IMF

Module 17: The IFIs – Accountability Mechanisms at the Regional Development Banks

Back to Overview

 
 

Web Links

The African Forum and Network on Debt and Development - AFRODAD

Actionaid International USA

African Development Bank - AfDB

Asian Development Bank - ADB
 
Association for Women's Rights in Development - AWID

Bank Information Center  - BIC

Bretton Woods Project - BWP

CEE Bankwatch Network

Center for Economic Policy Research - CEPR

Center for Global Development - CGD

Center for International Environmental Law - CIEL

Center for Popular Economics - CPE

Center of Concern

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Department of Sociology at Essex University, UK

Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era - DAWN

Environmental Defense Fund - EDF

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development - EBRD

European Investment Bank - EIB

European Network on Debt & Development - EURODAD

Focus on the Global South

Friends of the Earth International - FOEI

G 24 Secretariat - G24

Government Accountability Project - GAP

Gender Action

IFIwatchnet

Institute of Development Studies, UK

Inter-American Development Bank - IDB

International Cooperation for Development and Solidarity - CIDSE

International Development Economics Association - IDEAs

International Finance Corporation - IFC

International Gender and Trade Network - IGTN

International Labour Organization - ILO

International Monetary Fund - IMF

International Monetary Fund Independent Evaluation Office - IEO

International Poverty Centre - IPC

International Rivers - IR

Jubilee South

Levy Economic Institute of Bard College

NGO Forum on the ADB

New Economics Foundation, UK - NEF

New Rules for Global Finance - New Rules

One World Trust

Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development - OECD

Overseas Development Institute, UK - ODI
 
Oxfam International - Oxfam

Political Economy Research Institute - PERI 
 
Siyanda: Mainstreaming Gender Equality

Social Watch Network

South Centre

Structural Adjustment Participatory Review International Network - SAPRIN

Tanzania Gender Networking Program

The International Working Group on Gender, Macroeconomics and International Economics - GEM-IWG

Third World Network - TWN

Tufts University

United Nations Development Fund for Women - UNIFEM

UNIFEM - Gender Responsive Budgeting 

United Nations Development Programme - UNDP

United Nations Research Institute for Socia Development - UNRISD

World Bank

World Bank, Gender and Development Focus

World Bank, Inspection Panel - IP

World Bank/ International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes - ICSID 

World Commission on Dams - WCD

Back to Overview