EPWS Press Release: Gender and Finance


In the light of the upcoming meetings of the European Council and the G20 on recovery measures and the reform of the financial architecture, a selected group of prominent women economists and social scientists in Europe met in Brussels under the auspices of the European Platform of Women Scientists to analyse the current financial and economic crisis with a gender perspective.

The group was composed of international experts from academia, politics, business and civil society institutions.

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The key messages which emerged from the meeting are:

▪ While the crisis is having a visible impact on employment in some large male dominated industries, a severe impact on women, particularly in economic activities related to these large industries and in precarious contracts, is to be expected.

▪ The gender effects of recovery measures to counter the crisis need to be monitored not to jeopardize the benefits of progress made in the last decades towards a more gender equal society.

▪ Investments in the provision of public services and human development should be a priority to alleviate the burden of the crisis on the most affected parts of the population and prepare for a better future. The care sector is a perfect area where fulfilment of needs can be combined with employment creation with an immediate and a longer term effect.

▪ The effects of tax cuts on social services, health and education need to be scrutinized for their effects on women and children as women’s poverty is particularly costly for the well being of children and demographic development.

▪ The present financial and economic crisis is an opportunity to address other crises (care, food, climate, energy) and for “re-growing” the economy in a gender balanced, socially and economically sustainable manner.

For more information contact: maren.jochimsen [at] epws [dot] org