From 12 to 16 June in Buenos Aires, Argentina, GIESCR participated in the systemic critique workshop on "Deconstructing and analysing the intersection of sovereign debt and care work" organised by the International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR-Net) and Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS). 

The workshop brought together more than 40 participants from across the network, including members of the Steering Committees of the Economic Policy Working Group and the Women and ESC Rights Working Group, of which GIESCR is a member.

The aim of the meeting was to deepen the human rights-based understanding of the dominant socioeconomic system, specifically neoliberal capitalism. This project was first launched in 2019 with a meeting in Chiapas, Mexico where ESCR-Net brought together 10 members, led by grassroots movements, to build a shared critique of capitalism. Since then, the project has continued to develop despite disruptions brought on due to the pandemic. 

In this opportunity, the gathering was centered around analysing the intersections between debt and care, with the intention of deepening our collective understanding on how these issues are connected. We also had the chance to strategize and advance in collective action, addressing as preliminary objectives to:

• Generate a common understanding of how neoliberal capitalism has exacerbated debt regimes. Explore the ways in which it has impacted on care work and the environment.
• Deepen our understanding of how systems of oppression such as racism, sexism and capitalism intersect to keep particular groups, including women and other gender minorities, in a vulnerable position.
• Identify alternative systems led by member groups that are deconstructing patriarchy and capitalism and that promote women's ESC rights in all their diversity.
• Advance key content to shape our political education and advocacy resources on the intersections between capitalism as manifested through debt and patriarchy in the realm of care.
• Identify opportunities and strategic spaces for popularisation, advocacy and campaigning to begin to promote alternative economic and development models and address the contradictions of our current system.

You can review the report here: Systemic Critique Workshop Report: "Centering Care, Advancing Debt Justice" (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

At GIESCR we will continue to join these opportunities to address these issues.