Gender concerns in debt relief

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the unpayable debt burdens that many developing countries face. Debt relief is essential for an equitable and just global recovery. However, in the past, the lack of a gender perspective in designing policy conditionalities in debt relief has undermined the outcomes of relief for those most negatively impacted.

Policy conditionalities associated with debt relief have rarely shown an understanding of gender dynamics, not recognising the different ways that women and men – across intersectional identities – interact with the economy, as paid and unpaid workers, as household providers, as family members and as citizens.

This paper explores how recognising these differences, especially in relation to the roles and responsibilities of women, can be a first step for policymakers to explicitly take account of these differences to ensure more just and equitable outcomes.