IDRC and the International Women's Tribune Centre are co-hosting a panel at the 52^nd session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York City

Governments the world over have been reforming their taxation regimes to increase efficiency and facilitate integration into global markets. But these reforms, which shift taxation toward individuals rather than corporations, tend to increase the tax burden on the poorest, most of whom are women.

Many developing countries have also introduced consumption taxes, which again hit the poor hardest. This revenue side of taxation has been largely ignored in attempts to make tax reforms more gender equitable and supportive of poor women.

Initial findings from comparative research on the gender dimensions of tax policy and tax policy reform in Argentina, Ghana, India, Mexico, Morocco, and South Africa indicate that why and how governments raise money can create gender inequalities or reinforce existing inequalities.

As our panelists explain, because taxes are governments’ key source of revenue, understanding the nature and composition of taxation and current tax reforms is key to achieving equity in financing, providing sufficient revenue for social protection, and promoting social justice. The panelists will also present preliminary recommendations on how to make tax reforms more gender equitable.