In early April, the US government announced unprecedented tariff increases on imports, framed as being directed to countries. But what about the millions of people within the countries who depend on exports for their livelihoods? This article recalls how women workers in the countries threatened with the highest tariffs are so vulnerable – noting that this is no accident but rather an inherent feature of the liberalized trading system as we know it.
Inequality is inconsistent with human rights. The human rights community has tended to focus on those living in poverty – but what if it focused on the rich? An extreme wealth line draws attention to the point above which wealth concentration is harmful to society as a whole.
Done well, Sustainability Impact Assessments (SIAs) of trade agreements can provide useful insights and help craft inclusive, sustainable trade policy. The recent SIA of the EFTA-Thailand trade agreement provides an opportunity to reflect on what works and what doesn’t.
Institutions matter. Institutions must be inclusive for a society to thrive. The rule of law is a valid concept in economics.
In awarding the economics prize for the study of how institutions are formed and affect prosperity, the Nobel Committee has validated key Human Rights Economics concepts.
Analysées du point de vue des droits humains, ni les sciences économiques ni la pratique économique sont à la hauteur des défis sociaux et environnementaux...
Human rights economics strives for an economic system that is just for people and the planet, that promotes social and economic justice, that integrates a plurality of views and traditions and that is inclusive in both its processes and outcomes.