NOW is the Time for Transformative Action for Feminist Debt Justice!
“One day, since we don’t have water at our place, I walked to fetch it a distance while carrying my 2-year-old daughter on my back since I had no one to leave her with, as my husband was at work. I had taken my other 2 children to school. When I bent to carry my 20-litre jerrycan of water, I heard a crack followed by excruciating pain in my back. I don’t remember the details between the pain and waking up the following day. Those who saw me pass out from pain carried me home as we all know each other in my neighbourhood,” she said. “After days of pain and failed attempts to walk unsupported, she finally accepted her only choice of using a wheelchair for movement. It has been 12 years! “She tearfully added. But how could a back once so strong just give up on her when she was not even 50 years old yet? The answer is not rocket science.
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The Maputo Manifesto emphasises that cuts to health and education budgets to service debt disproportionately affect women who account for nearly 90% of the informal workforce and often assume the roles of primary caregivers and educators in their households. This diversion of funding results in worse health outcomes, higher school dropout rates for girls, and their overall welfare. It is therefore not surprising that one (1) out of every 10 women is experiencing extreme poverty (10.3 percent), and roughly 8 percent of the global female population, which amounts to 342.4 million women and girls, live on less than $2.15 a day, with the majority (220.9 million) residing in sub-Saharan Africa.
Debt levels have reached unprecedented levels in composition and quantity to the tune of $1,4 trillion, mainly from expensive loans from commercial lenders and China. Exorbitant interest rates translate to high debt repayments that push governments to spend most of their revenues on debt servicing instead of crucial sectors such as health, education, food, water & sanitation, labour, and social protection. At the heart of Africa’s current debt situation is multi-layered inequality with problems of debt governance that need redressing. While sovereign debt crises affect entire populations, women often bear the brunt of the consequences due to their unique socio-economic vulnerabilities, including holding low-paying jobs, being responsible for unpaid care work, or facing discrimination in leadership opportunities. Every dollar Africa spends on debt servicing has an intergenerational impact on girls' and women’s political, economic, and social attainment in society. Therefore, the debt crisis in Africa is not just an economic issue; it is a profound feminist concern, which exposes the intersectionality of debt and gender.
Feminist Debt Injustice
AFRODAD’s Harare Declaration states that the existing financial and debt systems do not support the goals of feminist justice through the socio-economic and political empowerment of women, as their patriarchal tendencies perpetuate inequality and discrimination. This means women have less control over decision-making, the labour market, and other empowerment opportunities. Therefore, the Protocol to the African Charters on Human and People’s Rights on the Right of Women in Africa proposes legislative and other measures to guarantee women equal opportunities for work, career advancement, and other economic privileges.
When it comes to education, the disparity in education for girls restricts their opportunities for civic leadership and economic advancement. Even when they do attend school, girls are at a higher risk of dropping out if their families live in extreme poverty and cannot afford educational expenses. This situation reflects the reality many girls confront, often leading them into early, abusive marriages or high-risk pregnancies that rob them of their youth. 34 million adolescent girls are not in school, and the lower secondary education completion rate for girls in sub-Saharan Africa is 43%. This high school dropout results in an estimated economic loss of $210 billion annually, which is almost 10% of the region's combined GDP. By 2030, the global annual social costs of basic skills deficits will surpass $10 trillion, a figure exceeding the combined GDP of France and Japan. Every girl has the right to education, which should be legislated and upheld. "Girls are entitled to receive an education that equips them for future job opportunities and prepares them to engage in the Fourth Industrial Revolution."
Female Leadership
Power structures rooted in patriarchy pose a significant obstacle to women’s advancement in leadership positions. Women face many obstacles to participating in political and economic life. Structural barriers through discriminatory laws and institutions still limit women’s options to run for office. “Women in every part of the world continue to be largely marginalised from the political sphere, often as a result of discriminatory laws, practices, attitudes and gender stereotypes, low levels of education, lack of access to health care and the disproportionate effect of poverty on women.” As of 1 June 2024, there are 27 countries where 28 women serve as Heads of State and/or Government, and at the current rate, gender equality in the highest positions of power will not be reached for another 130 years.
Bias against women during elections results in their underrepresentation on both national and international stages. The National Democratic Institute (NDI) states that “violence against women in politics includes all types of aggression, coercion, and intimidation directed at women as political players just because they are women.” This injustice is unacceptable and deserving of condemnation under the law, meaning that legal systems must abolish discriminatory legislation.
Even though women continue to encounter political discrimination, progress has been observed regarding women in leadership, with examples of Amina J. Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations; Winnie Byanyima (Uganda): As the Executive Director of UNAIDS; and other influential businesswomen, activists, women in sports, and scholars. Also, on the side of politics, we have Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the first Namibia's female president; Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberia): As Africa's first elected female president (2006- 2018); Sahle-Work Zewde- Ethiopia’s first female president (2018 – 2024); Samia Suluhu Hassa- Tanzania’s president since 2021, etc. There is women’s representation in national parliaments in several countries, such as Rwanda with 61.3% (the highest percentage of women in parliament globally), South Africa at 46.7%, Namibia at 44.2%, Mozambique at 42.4%, and Ethiopia at 41.5%. The Addis Ababa Declaration on Population and Development beyond 2014 advances women's involvement in decision-making and leadership roles at all levels through effectively promoting suitable policies, programs, and affirmative action.
The principles of feminist political justice ought to be incorporated into national constitutions. It is necessary to implement legal reforms and financial policies that promote women’s rights to safeguard marginalised women. For women to advance in this arena, they must navigate several challenges, including cultural prejudices, financial limitations, and societal perceptions that political positions are meant for men, among other obstacles. Observing the election process, it becomes evident that more progress is needed for two primary reasons. Firstly, several women lack confidence in their ability to secure political positions. Secondly, when women run for office, both women and men often doubt their suitability for leadership roles. This reflects the deep-rooted structural inequalities that sustain gender discrimination.
The greater participation of women in policymaking and planning has demonstrated not only to enhance women’s empowerment and rights but also to improve the effectiveness and adoption of broader governmental policies and services. Unfortunately, numerous women are excluded from decision-making roles and paid work, as most of their waking hours are devoted to unpaid care and domestic responsibilities. This situation results in countries missing out on the economic and civic contributions that women could provide if they held meaningful, paid, or income-generating jobs, thus allowing them to live and contribute to their full potential. Ensuring equal political participation and representation for women is essential for feminist debt justice, democracy, and achieving a sustainable future.
There is still much work to be done to afford all women the best opportunities to reach leadership positions. If more women entered the workforce, whether in business or politics, they would earn a substantial income to contribute taxes, which are vital for public revenue. Ideally, these national funds would be allocated to support public services (such as healthcare, education, social security, and infrastructure) and enhance the overall development of the country, rather than relying on excessive borrowing that fails to benefit the population, particularly women, girls, and individuals with disabilities, among other vulnerable groups.
Transformative Action for Feminist Debt Justice
- Maximising opportunities: Feminist debt justice is a crucial aspect of the development agenda, ensuring that men and women have the same access to social, economic, and political rights and opportunities. Empowered women can support their families and communities, thus making significant contributions to the nation's economic growth through employment. Women should engage in decent employment and have their contributions acknowledged. Ultimately, national treasuries and planning departments ought to collaborate closely with Ministries of labour and social protection to promote the acknowledgment of unpaid care within governmental planning and budgeting. At the core, patriarchal and neocolonial structures that perpetuate gender-based discrimination must be dismantled.
Investment in Women and Girls: There must be an increase in public investment in essential services, including education, healthcare, water, sanitation, and social protection services to ensure universal access and quality for all, particularly women and girls. It is also crucial to halt the privatisation of public services. Adequate investment in women and girls requires debt relief and restructuring, including debt cancellation to alleviate the burden on African countries, enabling increased investment in social services and sustainable development initiatives that benefit African women and girls.
In addition to investing in women and girls, gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) is crucial to enable economic transformation by considering the full economic benefits of women’s development. Several African countries have adopted gender budgeting, with Uganda and Rwanda having made notable strides in integrating gender-oriented goals into budget policies, programmes, and processes in fundamental ways. Other countries with good progress include Morocco, South Africa, Togo, etc. However, in some countries, GRB remains limited due to the lack of comprehensive gender-disaggregated data, political will, and legislative binding requirements.
- Leadership, voice, and visibility: There should be an increase in women’s representation in political and economic decision-making, particularly in negotiations on debt and development policies. However, representation alone is insufficient; women with feminist values must occupy leadership positions. Women’s voices must be heard as they participate in and shape decision-making processes. This would result in improving the quality of life for women through establishing social, political, and economic systems that respect their dignity and broaden their options in all areas of life.
Advancing female leadership would lead to more women occupying senior positions in the workforce. Thus, it is crucial to take decisive measures to create equitable opportunities for women and men in decision-making, engaging in income-generating ventures, thereby contributing to poverty reduction and other vulnerabilities. In addition, political parties should demonstrate meaningful commitment to female representation and elevate this responsibility to voters, who should demand female candidates from their parties.
Transformative efforts aimed at feminist debt justice require a collective approach from both women and men who are rights holders or duty bearers to dismantle entrenched systemic biases within families, communities, and the global debt and financial system. The Agenda 2063 of the Africa We Want envisions a future where the full potential of women and girls is realised. The year of reparations, as per the 2025 AU’s theme, is the opportune time to address feminist debt injustice, starting with tackling the problem of missed opportunities caused by excluding women from economic and leadership opportunities. Girls cannot be marginalised anymore! They must study and concentrate on their homework and revisions. These young girls are future professionals, successful entrepreneurs, influential politicians, and leaders across various fields, rather than victims of premature marriage and unpaid labour at the expense of their advancement. Women should enjoy their rights to earn a decent living and to occupy leadership positions in the political arena and other spaces.