Political Economy of Globalisation (PEG)

DAWN’s first global analysis provided a strong critique of the dominant economic model. The theme of Alternative Economic Frameworks, which provided the focus for the network’s continuing work on the economic growth model until 1995, was renamed Political Economy of Globalisation in 1996.

Under this theme, DAWN monitors and analyses the systematic processes of economic globalisation and trade liberalisation, and their impacts on poor women of the South. We work closely with other global development networks for greater accountability and radical restructuring of institutions like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations system and (from 1999) the World Trade Organization.

DAWN has gained insights on how the Bretton Woods Institutions work from its participation, through the years, in short-lived accountability processes and mechanisms set up as a consequence of women’s criticisms of the World Bank at the Beijing Conference (Structural Adjustment Participatory Review Initiative, or SAPRI, and the External Gender Consultative Group, or EGCG). Theses processes showed the huge challenges in introducing a Southern feminist perspective into mainstream institutions and large development networks, including the United Nations system. These challenges have only strengthened DAWN’s commitment to develop feminist and heterodox economic literacy programmes on globalisation as well as undertake collaborative global and regional advocacy with civil society organisations in the South and global feminist networks (e.g. WWG on Financing for Development, Trade-Finances Linkages Network).