Economies that work - for all

Mission oriented economies: putting human rights at the centre- with Mariana Mazzucato

This week, we speak to Mariana Mazzucato, Professor in the Economics of Innovation and Public Value, about creating ’mission-oriented economies’ that place human rights and the common good at their centre. Rather than simply fixing market failures, Professor Mazzucato argues that governments must shape markets around bold societal missions – from achieving net zero to ensuring health for all. This requires fundamental changes: moving from being ‘lenders of last resort’ to ‘investors of first resort’, setting conditions on public funding to ensure risks and rewards are shared, and building state capacity for long-term public value creation. She makes the case for mission-oriented development banks that don't just de-risk private investment, but actively direct patient capital towards transformational change. From redesigning procurement policies to embedding conditionalities in public-private partnerships, this approach demands a new social contract between business, government and communities - one that prioritises public value over shareholder value and ensures that collectiveintelligence leads to collectively shared rewards. Human rights are a key framework to guide these transformations. Topics/Chapters(00:00) Introduction of Mariana Mazzucato and "Mission-oriented economies: putting human rights at the centre" (01:01) ‘Shaping’ instead of ‘Fixing’ the free market(03:09) The concept of ‘mission-oriented’ economies: reshaping the economy with purpose and agency(08:25) Putting HRs at the center of this ‘mission’(20:13) Integrating human rights into the financing for development: addressing the dysfunctional dynamics of the current international financial system and intentionally reshaping where the money goes(31:34) Integrating Human Rights principles into the financing for development: redistributive policies but also promotion of agency and dignity(39:48) Conclusion: Call to Action to the listeners If you’d like to learn more about the Human Rights Economy, the work of OHCHR or UNSSC, check ⁠⁠Economies that work-for all Podcast | Trello⁠ [https://trello.com/b/rOX0oMix/economies-that-work-for-all-podcast]

The Doughnut Economy: promoting a development model that focuses on people and the planet - with Kate Raworth

We welcome economist and ‘Doughnut Economics’ founder, Kate Raworth, to discuss how we can create economies that satisfy everyone’s fundamental needs while respecting Earth’s limits. Using the ‘Doughnut Economics’ framework, which places human dignity, social justice, and environmental sustainability at the core of economic policy-making, Raworth presents another alternative vision for redefining progress in the 21stcentury, that is closely aligned with the idea of a ‘human rights economy’. If you care about economic equity and sustainable growth, this episode presents a tangible approach to tackle the climate crisis and work towards a sustainable future for both people and the planet. Topics/Chapters (00:00) Introduction of Kate Raworth and "The Doughnut Economy: promoting a development model that focuses on people and the planet" (01:03) The flaws of the current economics teaching and thinking (03:31) The need to go beyond GDP and to integrate ‘the living’ into economics (06:22) The alternative vision offered by ‘Doughnut Economics and how HRs underpinned its development (17:31) Transforming how we define 'economic success' - practical implementation: “the countries which are doing well are not the ones you think” (28:03) The Doughnut and the HRE: tools for both a systemic analysis & change and for addressing people’s everyday issues (38:35) The Economy in service to the living world – change of the economic paradigm If you’d like to learn more about the Human Rights Economy, the work of OHCHR or UNSSC, check Economies that work-for all Podcast | Trello [https://trello.com/b/rOX0oMix/economies-that-work-for-all-podcast]

Life and Debt: Why the SDGs cannot progress under austerity - with Grieve Chelwa

Dr. Grieve Chelwa (Associate Professor of Political Economy at The Africa Institute) questions the prevailing belief that countries in the Global South are at fault for the current global debt crisis. He points to the current and historical inequities in the current global financial system, which traps nations in debt cycles that undermine human rights, economic sovereignty, and progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). When debt is caused by external factors which countries have no control over, imposing crushing fiscal austerity to fix the debt situation is unlikely to work. He presents the interlinkages between the human rights economy and his concepts of ‘Inclusive Economic Rights and Emancipatory Development’ and details how a human rights economy could revolutionize this system by outing the accent on people and ensuring governments can prioritize their human rights obligations for everyone’s health, education, and social protection. Tune in for a compelling conversation on debt justice, economic reform, and what it takes to build a more equitable global economy. Topics/Chapters (00:00) Introduction of Grieve Chelwa and "Life and Debt: Why the SDGs cannot progress under austerity" (01:53) The debt trap and austerity measures ‘false solution’, and how they are preventing States from meeting their people’s socioeconomic rights (08:04) The debt crisis is getting worse with growing private bilateral debt (10:58) The source of the debt crisis: an outdated and unfair international financial architecture and governance system (15:48) The positive contribution a HRE approach can bring (22:09) Human Rights obligations: not a burden but a tool to solve the problem (24:54) ‘Inclusive Economic Rights’, ‘Emancipatory Development’ and the HRE (32:10) Human Rights are a necessary condition for development If you’d like to learn more about the Human Rights Economy, the work of OHCHR or UNSSC, check Economies that work-for all Podcast | Trello [https://trello.com/b/rOX0oMix/economies-that-work-for-all-podcast]

Is the solution hiding in plain sight? Political choices for a new economic model - with Jayati Ghosh

Economist Dr. Jayati Ghosh unpacks how our dominant economic model perpetuates inequality, disregards environmental constraints, and continues to marginalize the unpaid care sector. She questions the conventional fixation on GDP as a benchmark for a country’s progress and contends that the existing global financial system perpetuates global power disparities that result in the neglect of the needs and rights of billions of people across the world. Dr. Ghosh argues for a ‘human rights economy’ focused on dignity, fairness, and sustainability. Drawing from her research on unpaid care work via the “5 Rs” and reimagining global financial systems, she outlines a transformative approach that places human rights at the center of economic policy. Topics/Chapters (00:00) Introduction of Jayati Ghosh and "Is the solution hiding in plain sight? Political choices for a new economic model" (02:05) Reflecting on the inadequacy of our current economic systems (04:35) GDP, “a fundamental flaw” (07:28) Power imbalances and Relative power (09:11) How to ‘flip the question’ and rethink our economic systems (11:50) The role of global finance (16:37) The need for accountability and the role of Human Rights as guardrails (18:39) Gender and the Care Economy: the five ‘Rs” (27:57) Human Rights, a tool to tackle power imbalances and to respond to growing discontent and polarization If you’d like to learn more about the Human Rights Economy, the work of OHCHR or UNSSC, check Economies that work-for all Podcast | Trello [https://trello.com/b/rOX0oMix/economies-that-work-for-all-podcast]

Why is our economic system failing the 2030 Agenda? -with Volker Türk

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk opens the series by exploring why aligning economies with human rights is essential for improving our economic systems and achieving the 2030 Agenda. He challenges current understandings that see human rights and economic systems as separate entities. He introduces the idea of a ‘human rights economy’ as key to rebuilding ties that bind societies together and achieving long-term sustainable development for all people in all countries. Volker Türk explores the structural reforms needed at both national and international levels to reform the global economy in support of equality, justice and sustainability. Topics/Chapters(00:00) Introduction of Volker Türk and "Why is our economic system failing the 2030 agenda?" (01:40) Human Rights Economy: a toolbox(03:08) The value of adding Human Rights into economic policymaking(04:45) The change we want to see through a human rights economy(06:33) Critical shifts needed for the HRE concept to be fully applied(11:18) How to mobilize political leadership for a HRE(13:55) A rallying call to economists If you’d like to learn more about the Human Rights Economy, the work of OHCHR or UNSSC, check Economies that work-for all Podcast | Trello [https://trello.com/b/rOX0oMix/economies-that-work-for-all-podcast]