International Association for Feminist Economics (IAFFE) Annual Conference, 5th - 8th July 2023, Cape Town, South Africa

The 2023 International Association for Feminist Economics, (IAFFE) Annual Conference was held under the theme, ‘Envisioning Feminist Economics Strategies for an Equitable and Sustainable World.’ The theme was developed to acknowledge the contributions made by feminist economists toward advancing the understanding and reimagining alternative economic frameworks aimed at reducing inequalities within and between countries. The 4-day Conference provided a ‘forum for scholarship and inquiry that recognised the methodological pluralism of the field of economics.’ It brought together practitioners, academics, advocacy groups, and policymakers globally to share their experiences and visions of what a world underpinned by the principles of feminist economics would look like.

The conference organisation was cognisant of the economic turmoil, social tension experienced worldwide, but more so in poorer countries, given the worsening inequality and poverty, and environmental stress. This is reflected in the record number of ‘developing countries’ at risk of debt crisis with some of these nations having defaulted already on international loans. The deliberations revealed the glaring need for an intersectional approach to these, not only economic issues but also social, political, and civil issues with grave ramifications for particularly women and marginalised groups. The strategies/policy proposals shared by feminists transcended economics methodologies in recognition of the plurality of the field. The transdisciplinary solutions proposed ranged from encouraging holistic measures that are not only quantitative but also subjective, adopting movement-based ground-up mobilization, trans-geographical feminist organising, and the radical redistribution of wealth, among others.