Women, Working Conditions, and Industrial Hubs

2020 ◽  
pp. 424-437
Author(s):  
Arianna Rossi
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Women Workers ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Self Reliance ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Economic Upgrading ◽  
First Time ◽  
New Jobs

Industrial hubs and insertion in global value chains (GVCs) usually bring about new jobs for women in developing countries. Firms in industrial hubs employ a majority of women workers, providing them with a waged employment, often for the first time, and an opportunity for empowerment and self-reliance. However, these jobs are often characterized by low wages, poor working conditions, and labour-rights violations. This chapter provides an overview of opportunities and challenges for women’s empowerment, and gender equality in the context of jobs in industrial hubs, looking at empirical evidence from developing countries, and their linkages with existing cultural and gender norms. It also provides reflections on the governance of work and recommendations for gender-inclusive policies, showing that industrial hubs and GVCs can provide a path of economic upgrading for developing countries, but that only when that process is paired with social upgrading for women workers, will overall development gains be attained.

scholarly journals ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL UPGRADING OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN GLOBAL VALUE CHAINS

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-61
Author(s):  
K. S. Volkova
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
Global Value Chains ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Skilled Workers ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Social Upgrading

The issue of overexploitation in developing countries in the era of Global value chains (GVC ) is directly related to the question of the relationship between the economic and social upgrading of countries in GVC. The relevance of this topic is due to its  narrow representation in the scientific field, as well as the persistence of a low standard of labor force’s living in developing countries, despite the growth in labor productivity and the transition to the production of goods with higher added value. This article examines the problems faced by low-and medium-skilled workers in developing countries, including extremely low wages, social insecurity, and gender inequality. Often the reason for the preservation of this situation is the low price of goods, which is set by the purchasing  companies  that  govern  the  GVC.  International  organizations  and  the  media systematically  attract  public  attention  to  this  problem,  which  has  led  to  the  establishment  of control  over  working  conditions  by  the  parent  companies  of  the  GVC.  However,  in  many industries, the workers’ situation is still unsatisfactory, which indicates that the measures taken in this direction are insufficient. According to the author, significant improvement of working conditions  is difficult without the  participation of industry and  inter-industry trade unions  of employees.

The Governance of Global Agri-food Value Chains, Standards, and Development

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Swinnen ◽  
Rob Kuijpers
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Global Value Chains ◽  
Gender Effects ◽  
Growth Potential ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Food Standards ◽  
Institutional Spillovers ◽  
And Gender

Understanding the development implications of agri-food standards and global value chains is crucial, as they are a fundamental component of developing countries’ growth potential and could increase rural incomes and reduce poverty, but at the same time they present serious challenges and could lead to further marginalization of the poor. This chapter reviews some of the implications of the spread of stringent standards associated with global value chains for developing countries and global poverty reduction. The chapter focuses on five aspects: the interaction between standards and value chain governance; the effects on agricultural productivity and smallholder welfare; farm-level and institutional spillovers; labor market and gender effects; and the interaction between liberalization policies and value chains.

Positive Duties and Gender Equality

2005 ◽  
Vol 8 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 91-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colm O'cinneide
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Gender Discrimination ◽  
Fourth Generation ◽  
Positive Duty ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Substantive Equality ◽  
Promote Gender Equality ◽  
Positive Duties ◽  
And Gender ◽  
First Time

The imposition since 1998 of a variety of positive equality duties upon public authorities has attracted comparatively little academic attention. However, these duties are a central part of current government equality initiatives, increasingly constitute a major part of the work of the UK's equality commissions, and have been described as an essential part of a new ‘fourth generation’ of equality legislation. It now appears likely that a positive duty to promote gender equality will soon be imposed upon public authorities, which will complement similar race and disability duties. Will the introduction of this positive gender equality duty add to, detract or complement existing statutory provisions? Given the danger that ‘soft law’ initiatives may undermine existing anti-discrimination controls, will the duty provide a clear steer to public authorities, or will it lack teeth, substance and direction, and possibly even prove counter-productive? Such positive duties are designed to compensate for the limitations of existing anti-discrimination law, by requiring the taking of positive steps to promote equality and eliminate discrimination, rather than just compelling a reactive compliance with the letter of the (equality) law. The justifications in principle for the introduction of such duties are strong: for the first time, the introduction of a positive gender duty will impose a clear legislative obligation upon public authorities to adopt a substantive equality approach and to take proactive action to redress patterns of disadvantage linked to gender discrimination. Serious concerns do however exist as to the extent to which such duties can be enforced, and the danger that they will simply encourage greater bureaucratic activity at the expense of real change. The proposed gender duty, as with the other duties that have been introduced, is no panacea. Nevertheless, it does constitute a good start, can serve a useful function by empowering public authorities to take positive action, and if effectively used will be a very valuable point of pressure to push for better things.

ICT Ethical Issues, Globalization and Knowledge Society

2012 ◽  
pp. 78-88
Author(s):  
Maslin Masrom ◽  
Zuraini Ismail
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Communication Technology ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Knowledge Society ◽  
Societal Transformation ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Wealth Generation

In this chapter, the authors will parse the current ethical issues in the information and communication technology research associated with the economic phenomenon of globalization. These issues will include: the digital divide between developed and developing countries, poverty, piracy, cybercrimes, human rights, and gender equality. The chapter will go on to discuss themes in the development of the “knowledge society” that are germane to the ethics of globalization such as societal transformation and wealth generation. The chapter will develop a framework that will associate ICT ethical issues with knowledge society. Finally, the authors will present conclusions and details some of the findings discussed in the previous sections. A glimpse of the future will be provided.

19. Labour and equality law

2020 ◽  
pp. 612-642
Author(s):  
Mia Rönnmar
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Flexible Work ◽  
Labour Law ◽  
Worker Participation ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Eu

This chapter discusses a number of key EU labour and equality law issues. These include restructuring of enterprises; information, consultation, and worker participation; how national collective labour law is affected by the four freedoms; flexible work and working conditions; the EU and national labour law in times of economic crisis; and gender equality, comprehensive equality, and protection against discrimination on other grounds.

Interview with Geeta Rao Gupta, International Center for Research on Women

2008 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
pp. 577-588
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Harvard Educational Review ◽  
Health Care Education ◽  
Developed Country ◽  
Women And Hiv ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Policies And Programs ◽  
Taking Action

Editors from the Harvard Educational Review interviewed Geeta Rao Gupta,president of the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), in 2006. ICRW's mission is to empower women, advance gender equality, and fight poverty in the developing world. To accomplish this, ICRW works with partners to conduct empirical research, build capacity, and advocate for evidence-based, practical ways to change policies and programs. As part of the United Nations Millennium Project, Rao Gupta cochaired the Task Force on Education and Gender Equality, which authored a volume entitled, Taking Action: Achieving Gender Equality and Empowering Women (2005). A world-renowned expert on women and HIV/AIDS, Rao Gupta has been recognized for her ongoing commitment to educating policymakers on gender equality issues in health care, education, and human rights and for her outstanding research, advocacy, and activism on behalf of women and girls worldwide. The term "developing country" conjures disparate images and definitions. Since your work is with developing countries, could you please frame this term for our audience?What makes developing countries distinctively different from a "developed country"?

Research note: Investment in agriculture and gender equality in developing countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 89-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Axèle Giroud ◽  
Jacqueline Salguero Huaman
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Research Note ◽  
And Gender
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