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Resource website of social and solidarity economy
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Women and Economy

Themes : Social justice, peace and solidarity

Explorations of economic issues do not usually take gender into account. And yet, the social roles women usually take on in society have an impact on their contribution to the economy, how they benefit from it, and the consequences they suffer. The relationship between women and the economy therefore deserves closer examination.

The supposed “objectivity” of economics and many economists conceals a subjectivity that affects economic thinking, models and analyses. This subjectivity usually ignores specific factors such as gender. Contributions to economic life, primarily measured in monetary terms, therefore usually underestimate, if not actually cover up, many activities without which life and social and economic fulfilment would be impossible. Household tasks provide a particularly significant example, since they remain women’s responsibility in most, if not all, societies. Other examples are volunteer activities and work and community initiatives that continue to a significant degree to be driven by women. Full recognition of such activities would paint a very different picture of economies and societies.

The economy is a social science and as such should take into account the practices of all components of society, of women as well as men, as well as minority practices, even if they take place on the margin of the conventional markets of the dominant economy. The unprecedented development of various forms of solidarity economy throughout the world owes a huge debt to women’s initiatives and creativity. With a major presence in all sectors of the solidarity economy, commercial, non-commercial and domestic, women are the foundations of daily economic life.

The type of documents covered under the theme of women and economy are highly diverse: theoretical, conceptual, empirical as well as accounts of actions and initiatives. They aim to document feminist approaches to the economy, approaches that denounce the dominant paradigm and propose viewpoints and analyses that take full account of gender as well as women’s position within the solidarity economy.

12 publications | 6 Videos | A pedagogical tool | 24 case studies | 31 Analyses/working papers/articles | 2 Charter/Manifesto | 7 public contributions | A thesis | 7 articles

12 publications

6 Videos

A pedagogical tool

24 case studies

31 Analyses/working papers/articles

2 Charter/Manifesto

7 public contributions

A thesis

7 articles