The role of the private sector in financing for development from a feminist perspective.

This essay/blog provides a feminist perspective on the increasing role of the private sector in development and how it is presenting serious obstacles and challenges for the advancement of women’s rights and gender equality. Corporate actors are seen to be emphasising women as a key constituency of consumers, economic agents and small-scale entrepreneurs, but the piece highlights that without broader social changes, women’s entrepreneurship alone will not solve the equation. Transformative solutions require addressing the rules and design of global trade and finance systems, tax evasion and illicit financing flows; as well as the structural drivers of inequality like violence against women, the right to bodily, sexual and economic autonomy at different levels. The author suggests that a strong accountability and compliance with Human Rights standards are needed as currently, there are no binding governance and accountability mechanisms in place to ensure that Public-Private Partnerships will align with national and local development needs.