HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0992.011 2018-2020 From: Amanda Shaw
Sent: Tuesday, July 07, 2020 7:57 AM COUNTY CLERK
To: Council Testimony COUNTY OF HAWAIl
Subject: Testimony IN SUPPORT of Resolution No. 680-20 RECEIVED
Time
Dear Chair Young and Honorable Members and Staff, Date JUL 0 7 2020
Re:Testimony IN SUPPORT of Resolution No. 680-20 (Supporting and Urging Equity, Inclusion,and Social and Economic
Justice Principles Into Covid-19 Related Recovery Initiatives For Hawaii)
Please accept this testimony in support strong upport of Resolution No. 680-20 ,which would establish the Hawaii County
Council's intentions to introduce feminist economic recovery measures in relation to COVID-19. This measure recognizes the
disproportionate impact of economic and social turmoil caused by the COVID-19 crisis on women and resolves to counteract
gender inequalities through the recovery process. It asks the County to review the UN report on COVID-19's impacts on women
and the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women's (HSCSW)feminist economic re��. This plan explicitly
outlines the links between gender, race and economic inequalities, recommending both practical and transformative policies for
the COVID-19 recovery process.
I am a co-author of the plan and specialist in gender and economic development from 0`ahu. For the last 15 years, I have
worked with governments and international organizations to implement policies that recognize and remediate gender and social
inequalities. Around the world, intergovernmental organizations,national governments as well as municipalities are using
methods such as gender and social impact assessments, gender mainstreaming (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, APEC)
gender-responsive budgeting(e.g. Scotland, Uruguay) and through promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goals that
Hawaii has signed onto as part of the Hawaii Green Growth Initiative. The South African government has also implemented a
broad-based Black Economic Empowerment Policy in order to redress white supremacy and raeialized inequalities in their
economy. Such precedents and more demonstrate the need and possibilities for simultaneously considering and addressing
inequalities associated with paid as well as unpaid and underpaid work performed mostly by women and people of color in our
economies.
We cannot let this crisis further deepen inequalities in unpaid care work, in paid work/financial security and in emotional labor -
amongst many other impacts. But without explicit attention to these issues, that is exactly what will happen. State-level decision
makers continue wilfully disregarding information presented through the Feminist Economic Recovery pian, the HSCSW and
other organizations on the impacts of COVID-19 on Hawai`i's women in terms of women's disproportionate unemployment
(57% of unemployment claims), the rise in unpaid carework related to childcare and education and increased gender-based and
sexual violence. The State is pushing for public employees to return to work and re-opening without any plan for childcare.
Hawaii island has the opportunity to rise with and raise up the voices of Hawai`i's women, leading by example and urging state
decision makers to get with the times. Hawai`i's women and future generations are depending on it.
Thank your for time and for the opportunity to testify in support of Resolution No. 680-20.
Sincerely,
Dr. Amanda Shaw, PhD
Lecturer, Dept. of Political Science
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Waimanalo, 0`ahu Comm. No. LI s.
Ref. ate u.S9_ 0 8 2021
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