Feminist Forum Towards G20

fEmInIsT fOrUm tOwArDs g20 First webinar “Feminists towards G20” on July 27th, with more than 40 participants across the Latin American & Caribbean region. This activity is part of a series of seminars in promoted by DAWN and members of the Feminist Forum against G20. These discussions delve into the challenges presented in G20 and analyzed sexual dissidence and how women’s and feminist organizations are involved. Alejandra Scampini, from DAWN’s (Uruguay), of energy and employment, and increasing the was the moderator for the first webinar in which presence of transnational companies and corpora- activists-experts from within the region participa- te power, enabling their access to this process of ted. She challenged the speakers by raising some extended capitalist accumulation. Graciela explai- fundamental questions and issues that led to the ned how this new agenda resonates in the region organization of this first webinar. Questions such through a large capital inflow, new regulations and as: What is the G20? What is the history of the G20 the search for legal protection of companies that and how is the G20 currently positioned in the glo- pursue natural resources and land expropriation, to bal and multilateral agenda? How relevant is the the detriment of indigenous populations that have G20 for the region and how legitimate is it for the been resisting, safeguarding and protecting territo- countries and groups that are not represented? ries from the capitalist accumulation model. “The How is it structured and what are the spaces for agenda has broadened and the presence of G20 in civil society advocacy? How do sexual dissidents, Latin America and the Caribbean reveals this need women’s and feminist organizations prepare and to gain ground in the continent where social move- how can social demands be taken into considera- ments have shown a strong role in the fight against tion? this phase of the neoliberal, model called land ex- The first speaker, Graciela Rodríguez from Fun- propriation and dispossession.” dación Equit, Rebrib and Gender and Trade Ne- twork (Brazil), focused on the beginnings of the She wrapped up by saying that “the G20 is an G20 in the context of the global crisis that marked attempt to subdue social movements and, at the the first years of the 21st century, where bailouts same time, to control national economies that are were sought from multilateral organizations. Thus, increasingly losing autonomy, sovereignty and are since the end of the 90s, the G20 more engaged in global production has consolidated as a global go- “The agenda has chains and unproductive specula- vernance mechanism seeking to broadened and the tive financial processes. The great better coordinate large econo- challenge for social movements mies with those others that were presence of G20 will be to understand and resist this economically healthier -particu- in Latin America new phase of capitalist accumula- larly China, Russia, Argentina and and the Caribbean tion”. Brazil- and a more active involve- reveals this need ment in crisis resolution. She re- to gain ground in marked that during its first years the continent where of operation, the G20 was almost social movements an effective means to overcome have shown a strong the financial crisis and to shape role in the fight a financial system that was highly against this phase deregulated, causing economic of the neoliberal, instability at global level. When the 2008 crisis was over, the G20 model called land agenda became more varied. It expropriation and included issues such as sustai- dispossession.” nable development, employment and infrastructure to name just a few. There was a strong debate on extending investments, models Systematization webinario: DAWN (Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era) Traslation: Marcela Hernández Illustration and design: Fernanda Carrizo The G20 does not represent us! Luciana Ghiotto, ATTAC Argentina, TNI and Fernanda Hopenhaym from PODER, (México/ Argentina better off without FTAs (Argentina), Uruguay) shared the official channels for civil socie- continued on from Graciela, talking about the his- ty participation, as another means of engaging and tory of the G20 and how this resonates in the G20 influencing the G20 processes, the declarations, structure. She analyzed the implications of the G20 the decision-making and the issues addressed. She in terms of consensus and criticism towards G20. underscored the Civil 20, which is the channel of Although the G20 is introduced as a forum to deba- interaction between the G20 and civil society orga- te on global policy, in fact, it is a forum that can be nizations. She described the thematic groups of the criticized for its smallness because it barely repre- C20, namely; fight against corruption; architecture sents 10 percent of the countries in the world whe- of the international financial system; education, em- re, for example, only Brazil, Argentina and Mexico ployment and inclusion; environment, climate and represent Latin America and the Caribbean. The energy; gender; investment and infrastructure, from second issue she raised was that there is a direct local to global; and, finally, global health. relationship between the G20 and international fi- She also highlighted the opportunities to participa- nancial institutions such as the World Bank and the te in these C20 spaces. Firstly, “it is a channel of International Monetary Fund. In fact, the G20 can direct interaction through which you can sit around only be understood by comprehending its emer- the table with these players who make us feel un- gence in the context of the crisis of the internatio- comfortable at times. Our natural position as femi- nal financial system. This is “the reason why civil nists is to be in the resistance; we are not represen- society’s criticism of this forum is a criticism of the ted by the G20 and we don’t want to legitimize this international financial model and body. However, the possibility how it has attempted to regula- of interacting directly with these te the financial system- showing “(...) Our natural decision-makers, in some cases, that states and governments play position as feminists is might pay off, in terms of the a minor role in this mechanism”. to be in the resistance; commitments made by the G20”. The third issue to bear in mind is we are not represented The C20 also enables CSOs the lack of democracy within the by the G20 and we don’t to follow up with these commit- G20. Luciana explained that, sin- want to legitimize this ments and to demand their fulfi- ce 2008, the G20 has been wor- body. However, the llment- to present recommenda- king as a summit of presidents ra- tions through written documents ther than a summit of ministers of possibility of interacting on priority issues and to promo- economy and directors of central directly with these te, as feminists, issues linked to banks from the countries of this decision-makers, in gender equality, sexual diversity group. Then, the Sherpas’ Track some cases, might and other themes considered a (appointed by the president of a pay off, in terms of the priority which the C20 gender member state) was created, whe- commitments made by group has tried to promote. She re Heads of State came into play the G20”. mentioned the experience of with a broader agenda and issues PODER in the thematic group on such as anticorruption, develop- investments and infrastructure, ment, health, energy and clima- and how issues such as the res- te change, just to name a few. Finally, there is the pect of human rights, due diligence and accountabi- engagement of non-governmental bodies such as lity, are starting to be considered. These challenge the B20 (Business 20), the T20 (Think Tanks 20), the main discourse of deregulation opening to priva- the W20 (Women 20), the C20 (Civil 20), the L20 te investment for the development of infrastructure (Labor 20), and, this year, the S20 (Science 20). To in the countries of the group. To wrap up she said wrap up, Luciana highlighted the illegitimacy of the that “participation in these groups allows us to push G20, stating that “it is a flexible, unsteady structure the feminist agenda linked to economic themes, to with little transparency concerning internal coordi- business and human rights themes, where, many ti- nation and that the head of the engagement groups mes, women are absent or there is no feminist pers- is appointed by the president of the host country”. pective, and, in the end, it remains solely linked to Participation in these groups is not open, and, at the the gender group”. same time, they are not binding for presidents. They only submit recommendations that the presidential summit might consider or not. These are the reasons why civil society claim: “we are NOT represented by the G20!” fEmInIsT fOrUm tOwArDs g20 Verónica Ferreira from SOS Corpo - Articula- re of adjustments and budget cuts”. Verónica re- ción Feminista Marcosur (Brazil) underscored 4 ports on the plural and collective mobilization and reasons why feminists engage in these processes training processes that will be carried out by AMB, of struggle. Firstly, she noted that feminists have SOS Corpo and AFM, as an effort to strengthen been in the resistance against neoliberal globa- international coordination and to recover methodo- lization for a long time and she re- logies such as the women’s tribu- minded us about the history of all nals that constitute a space that the work throughout these years- “it is time to gives voice

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