Author(s)
Wahono, ArimbiValliappan, Manickam
Moussa, Mariam
Vei Leong, Sze
Noble, Rachel
Bush, Alex
Nerine Butt, Myrah
Publication date
2025-11-24Country
BangladeshBhutan
Cambodia
China
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Japan
Lao
Malaysia
Myanmar
Nepal
Pakistan
Philippines
Singapore
Sri Lanka
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam
Metadata
Show full item recordPublisher(s)
Oxfam in AsiaDocument type
Discussion paperDescription
Asia's rapid GDP growth masks severe costs, including displacement, environmental depletion, and high inequality. A shift beyond GDP is essential, and alternatives must be feminist, ecologically just, and decolonial. While Asia explores wellbeing metrics, most merely complement GDP, failing to challenge the growth paradigm or address systemic injustices fundamentally. True transformation requires an equity- and justice-oriented approach that dismantles the political economy maintaining GDP dominance. Current "beyond GDP" metrics in Asia lack the political power to fundamentally challenge the growth-first agenda, often failing to capture intersectional inequalities or systemic environmental destruction. This paper highlights pathways for building alliances with feminist movements that embed transformative alternatives in the region.


