Feminist Economics

Feminist economists around the world have repeatedly highlighted the failure to take the social consequences of economic policies into account. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, capitalist and neoliberal policies have contributed to high rates of unemployment, a lack of decent job opportunities, an increase in austerity measures, a lack of adequate social protection policies, and the spread of informal and precarious work, with women and girls being the most negatively affected by these developments. This has created major social disparities, which triggered the multiple waves of the Arab Spring.

Despite attempts to increase women’s participation in the labor market, the region’s female employment rate is still the lowest in the world. Under the current economic system, questions about whether women’s participation in the labor market leads to the actual empowerment of women in the region are raised. From the lack of job security to the double burden of performing both paid work and unpaid care work, the positive effects on women’s lives of participating in the labor market are debatable. This is exacerbated by neoliberal reforms, the debt conditions imposed by international funding institutions, unjust taxation models, and the absence of adequate gender-responsive budgeting within public institutions.

The prevailing patriarchal capitalist economic model has greatly hindered advancements toward social, environmental, and gender justice, and the proposed solutions to counter injustices can be described as patchwork at best. Viewing the situation through a feminist lens provides a vital opportunity to develop innovative visions and macroeconomic policies that put social and environmental justice at the center and attempt to tip the scales toward less exploitation, more resources, and fewer hurdles for all in the future world of work.

In collaboration with feminist and other progressive actors in the region, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung is bringing these concerns to the forefront by hosting discussion sessions and seminars, providing training opportunities, and producing feminist critique of economic models and alternative strategies to address many of the most pressing challenges facing the region.

Blog

02.09.2024 | Feminist Economics | Blog
Being Queer in Beirut: A Fragmented Journal Entry

The article approaches queer spaces in Beirut from an economic perspective, exploring how exclusions within these spaces are nuanced and layered. It…


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13.08.2024 | Feminist Economics | Blog
Are All Women Sex Workers - Illustration by Sandy Lyen

This article examines the ways in which women’s sexuality is appraised and controlled within the hegemonic socio-economic system, exploring the power…


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18.07.2024 | Feminist Economics | Blog
Illustration on Bloody Funds and their Fleeting Trends

This article explores how the neoliberal commodification of menstruation has sustained stigma and discomfort, while advocating for a holistic approach…


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11.07.2024 | Feminist Economics | Blog
The Struggle of Women Working in the Informal Sector

This article discusses the compounded struggles of participating in informal labour for native and migrant women in Algeria.


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04.07.2024 | Feminist Economics | Blog
Postpartum Depression Illustration

This article explores the often-overlooked issue of postpartum depression (PPD) in Algeria, drawing from personal experiences, particularly with the…


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27.06.2024 | Feminist Economics | Blog
Reproducing Society: The Exploitation of Women’s Bodies

This article discusses how the reproduction of society takes places over women's bodies to serve and reinforce patriarchal and capitalist power…


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20.06.2024 | Feminist Economics | Blog
Arab Manosphere - Illustration by Marah Al Houjairy

This article explores the manosphere and some of the recent trends taking place in it, namely the gender backlash that has arisen among men…


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13.06.2024 | Feminist Economics | Blog
Commercializing Womens Bodies - Illustration by Marah Al Houjairy

This article explores how universalized workplace dress codes contribute to the commodification of women’s bodies and perpetuate oppressive systems.


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06.06.2024 | Feminist Economics | Blog
The Shadows of Colonial Legacy

This article examines the persistent struggles that women have endured in pursuit of economic and political empowerment, with attention to the…


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30.05.2024 | Feminist Economics | Blog
No Right to Bodily Autonomy - Illustration

The article asserts that bodily autonomy cannot be fully realized without addressing systemic issues like gender discrimination, capitalism, and…


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06.11.2023 | Feminist Economics | Blog
Female Agricultural Workers

This article discusses the status of female agricultural workers in the Arab world, examining the challenges they encounter as a result of climate…


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17.10.2023 | Feminist Economics | Blog
Embracing Ecofeminism: Shifting the Focus to a Life-Centered Economy

The article emphasizes the need for a shift towards a life-centered economy that embraces the principles of ecofeminism and prioritizes gender…


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22.09.2023 | Feminist Economics | Blog
In the Mood for Love

This article is a call to action. A call to Love. Radically. Open your heart and as you read through, allow yourself to feel through.


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14.09.2023 | Feminist Economics | Blog
Feminism and Green Anarchism

Creating small, anarcho-communities with diverse tree-rich lands, where lifelong use is practiced instead of ownership, offers the most effective…


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11.09.2023 | Feminist Economics | Blog
Extractivism, Gender Inequality, and Queer Marginalization in Morocco

This article explores the impact of extractivism in Morocco, focusing on gender inequality and the marginalization of queer individuals. It explores…


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24.08.2023 | Feminist Economics | Blog
Feminist Statement

03.08.2023 | Feminist Economics | Blog
Hind Hamdan

This article unpacks the effects of IMF policies on gender equality as a whole, with a particular focus on unpaid and underpaid labor.


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27.07.2023 | Feminist Economics | Blog
 illustration by Sasha Haddad

By promoting austerity, shrinking fiscal spaces, imposing the "cascade approach", and shaping development paradigms, IFIs undermine social protection…


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11.07.2023 | Feminist Economics | Blog

This article explores the gendered implications of gender-blind structural adjustment programs (SAP) on the education of girls and vulnerable groups…


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03.07.2023 | Feminist Economics | Blog

This article sheds light on the neoliberal interventions led by IFIs and their relevance to feminist activism and action in the MENA region.


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| Feminist Economics | Blog

We must dismantle capitalist patriarchy that thrives on exploiting women and nature to attain a socially and environmentally just future. By Farah…


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