COVID-19 and the crisis of capital: the sustainability of life and peoples’ sovereignty are the solution.

“Feminist Economics and Environmentalism for a Just Recovery: Outlooks from the South” is a publication by Friends of the Earth International, the World March of Women and the Latin American Network of Women Transforming the Economy (REMTE), available in Portuguese, Spanish and English.

“From our point of view, a fair and just recovery must break completely from the heteropatriarchal, capitalist, racist, colonist and destructive model. Therefore, our response must be comprehensive in proposing both a break from the rationale of capital and the construction of a new model. In feminist economics, we flag the need to put the sustainability of life at the centre […] We need to think about what, how and for whom we are going to produce to respond to our needs. We must also take reproduction into account, as it is vital when considering domestic and care work.” – Nalu Faria

This publication is an edited transcript of a joint webinar held on 30 June 2020, as part of the World Social Forum of Transformative Economies. The webinar had two main speakers: Nalu Faria, from REMTE and the International Committee of the World March of Women, and Karin Nansen, Chair of Friends of the Earth International.

Over 100 people from at least 17 countries participated in the webinar. Many of the participants from social movements brought their own analysis to the discussion and contributed ideas for possible paths to a just recovery. Some of these potential solutions are now featured in this new publication, including the convergence of social movements, internationalist solidarity, and building food sovereignty through agroecology.

“The recovery cannot be a return to what was once considered normal, precisely because this is the origin of the crisis. […] We must roll this back and move towards justice in all of its meanings– environmental, gender and economic justice as well as in support of the construction and strengthening the sovereignty of our peoples and grassroots power.” – Karin Nansen

The complete recording of the webinar is also available on the World March of Women Brazil’s Youtube channel.

The publication is available in Portuguese on Friends of the Earth Brasil’s website.

Image from the 8th “Fruits of Resistance” agroecological market in CaSanAT, Brazil. By Douglas Freitas/Lia Gonçalves, April 2017.