Women are more likely to live in poorer households globally than men. Countries where this is evident are predominantly fragile or conflict-affected. In order to meet the Sustainable Development Goals and ensure no one is left behind, women’s economic empowerment must be prioritised and resourced in crisis contexts.
Choices, Chances and Safety in Crisis discusses the impact of crisis on women’s economic empowerment and the limitations of recent responses. It proposes a practical model for increasing women’s safety as well as their use and control of resources in crisis contexts. It outlines the preconditions that must be met to genuinely transform harmful gender norms and empower women economically along with examples from IRC’s work. It concludes with recommendations for governments, international actors and the humanitarian sector.
Summary
Women are more likely to live in poorer households globally than men. Countries where this is evident are predominantly fragile or conflict-affected. In order to meet the Sustainable Development Goals and ensure no one is left behind, women’s economic empowerment must be prioritised and resourced in crisis contexts. Latest data shows only 1% of aid to economic and productive sectors had gender equality and women’s empowerment as the principal objective in 2015 – 2016, a decrease on the previous year.
This briefing outlines the impact of crisis on women’s economic empowerment and the limitations of existing responses. It provides a crisis model for transformative women’s economic empowerment and argues that unless the interrelated preconditions for women to safely generate, use and control resources are in place, crisis-affected and displaced women will continue to suffer violence and hardship while risking exploitation and abuse.
Recommendations:
• National governments promote decent work and eliminate legal and policy barriers preventing refugee and displaced women from safely generating income.
• International actors – including financial institutions, multilaterals, donors, the private sector and foundations – support and finance economic programmes that have women’s empowerment as a primary objective. They make sure crisis-affected women are not left behind in progress towards global goals.
• The humanitarian sector prioritises women’s economic empowerment early in humanitarian response.