Statement on Universal Social Provisioning

IAFFE, the largest academic association for feminist economists, champions universal social provisioning as both a fundamental value and the only way to lay a strong foundation for sustained and ecologically-attuned social life. In light of the coronavirus, IAFFE calls for the immediate and urgent implementation of a gender-equitable universal basic income and the provision of essential services, ensuring that individuals are not marginalized or excluded because of their race, ethnicity, or caste. Essential services such as food and housing should be accompanied by universal healthcare, public care services including child and elder care and education, strengthened labor protections, and rigorous safeguarding of the public interest. These measures will recover the purchasing power of individuals and households, particularly those in vulnerable situations, boosting aggregate demand. Through international collaboration and appropriate macroeconomic policies, national governments should be enabled to expand their fiscal space and finance these investments.

Click HERE for more information from IAFFE about COVID-19.