International Workshop: Sustainable Economy and Green Growth – who cares?

Analysis, Findings and Demands from a Care Perspective

Against the backdrop of a multiplicity of crises, the concepts of the “Green New Deal” and “green growth” are often promoted as the path to sustainable development and as a strategy for finding solutions to the various economic, ecological and social crises we face. Yet economic growth does not necessarily result in sustainability or the satisfaction of human needs, or indeed wealth. Women’s networks and feminist economists have thus called for a change in how we view the economy and how we go about conducting economic activities. This kind of paradigm shift requires both a revaluation and appreciation of nature and the (unpaid) care work conducted (mainly) by women, without slipping into the logic of utilisation, privatisation and market-economy principles.

The inclusion of the care economy in the concept of sustainable “green” economy could provide an answer to the question of how to distribute wealth more fairly and satisfy human needs within ecological boundaries. With reference to gender justice, and economic and environmental justice, women’s organisations have frequently pointed out that gender perspective is largely missing in the discussions about sustainable development and the “green economy”. With an international workshop at the beginning of 2013, we want to start a discussion about how the care economy and green economy can be combined. In doing so, we want to talk about and develop ideas with women’s networks and civil society organisations. To provide a starting point for the discussion in preparation for the workshop we have put together a background paper with an analysis, as well as research, findings and statements from civil society. It focuses particularly on the following questions:

• How can the principles of care economy be anchored in the concept of sustainable economy?
• How can social and economic structures be changed to tackle the uneven distribution of paid and unpaid care work?
• Are there perhaps already approaches or practices in which care and sustainable economy are combined, either informally or within businesses?

Feminist demands for a caring and sustainable economy

Following the International Workshop on Care, Gender and Green Economy in Berlin, organised by genanet at the beginning of 2013, a small group of international experts created the feminist position paper “A Caring and Sustainable Economy”, published by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.

It expresses our shared understanding of a sustainable economy based on the principles of caring and describes the steps necessary to move in this direction. The authors view the paper as a “work in progress” and call for it to be used, changed, and added to according to the respective regional and local contexts.

The paper can be downloaded in English and Spanish.

The findings of the International Workshop and contributions of participants from different parts of the world were summarized in the brochure Sustainable Development and Green Grwoth: Who Cares?

Also available is the bibliography as well as respective literature recommendations and visualizations in addition to the article "Rapid Care Analysis in Local Development Programmes" by Thalia Kidder.

In a Follow-Up to the International Workshop the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and genanet invited a small group of experts from different regions of the world for two meetings in order to elaborate a position paper. It is available in English and Spanish and has already been discussed on international conferences in different parts of the world.

The next networking meeting will take place in September 2015.