Gender and the global economic crisis in developing countries: a framework for analysis

Abstract

This paper sets out a framework for thinking about the gender dimensions of the economic crisis. It considers the likely impact of the crisis, as well as the responses to it, on the part of both individuals and collectivities, in three spheres of the economy: finance; production; and reproduction. It identifies the kinds of ‘gender numbers’ that we need; sex-disaggregated statistics of various kinds. It also argues that we need to pay attention to gender norms – the social practices and ideas that shape the behaviour of people and institutions. The norms may be reinforced in times of crisis; but they may also start to decompose as individuals transgress norms under the pressures of crisis. In addition, there may be opportunities for the transformation of norms, through collective action to institute new, more egalitarian, social practices and ideas.

Keywords:

• gender
• economic crisis
• finance
• production
• reproduction

Notes

1. Fiscal stimulus refers to a policy of stimulating the economy by compensating, in whole or in part, for a fall in expenditure by households and businesses, by an increase in public expenditure and/or a reduction in taxes.

2. In countries in which economic growth has recovered food prices have risen again because of the fact that demand has risen but the underlying constraints on the supply of food have not been addressed.

3. The matrix in Figure 1 draws on my presentation to the Oxfam Gender and Economic Crisis Workshop, Oxford, in September 2009, modified slightly in light of subsequent discussions. I particularly thank Ruth Pearson for her comments. The changes that I have made differ somewhat from those made by King and Sweetman (2010), who also present a modified version of my framework.

4. Unlike King and Sweetman (2010), I do not include informal paid work in the sphere of reproduction, even though some of it may be home-based. Since it is paid and produces products that are sold on the market, I include it as part of production. Through sub-contracting, some informal work contributes to the products of large scale producers, including those that produce for export.

5. Some authors adopt a narrower definition of reproduction, which includes only the unpaid activities undertaken within households. However, I consider that provision of public services is ‘non-market work’, because public services are not produced for the market, even when there is a service charge for users. This is because user charges for public services are taxes, rather than prices; they are not set by interaction of supply and demand in a market, or by an enterprise based on what will maximise profits.

6. Derivatives are complex financial instruments which are derived from some other instrument, such as loan to a person to buy house, or to a business to buy equipment, or to a government to build a bridge. They are traded between financial institutions and their values become divorced from the value of the underlying investments.

7. Balance of trade refers to the gap between the value of imports and exports. If the value of imports is greater than the value of exports, then there is a trade deficit.

8. Such programmes had been widely adopted in Latin America prior to the crisis.

9. Since I consider expenditure cuts a response to the crisis, I do not place them in the matrix in the column for transmission of the crisis. Here I differ from King and Sweetman (2010).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Diane Elson

Diane Elson is Professor of Sociology at the University of Essex, UK