International_Trade_and_Changin_Conditions_of_Women

Hello! In this podcast I will try to analyze overall impacts of global trade on the changing conditions of women. Especially in developing countries, for both men and women, working conditions are often poor, but women are among the most vulnerable workers However, ninety-nine percent of the world’s women who gained the right to vote during the twentieth century are exerting increasing pressure on the world’s governments for protection of their right to equal treatment under the law. This pressure was greatly amplified during the United Nations (UN) Decade for Women between 1985-95 and the Beijing Conference which followed. Since 1980, more than a hundred countries have ratified the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, (UN, 1980) and many subscribe to the International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions on fair labor practices ------- With the rapid increase in direct foreign investments, multinational businesses are becoming important employers in developing countries. And Considerable public concern has been expressed about the treatment of workers in these countries, many of whom are women. Accordingly, Increasing numbers of multinational firms are adopting codes of conduct designed to assure their customers, their stockholders and their boards that they are behaving legally and ethically in overseas operations ----------------------- Over the last century, women s circumstances have also changed profoundly. At the beginning of the 21st century, the women of the world live longer, have fewer children, are more likely to be literate, to work outside the home, and to have more political and legal rights than at any previous time in the world s history. According to UN data -The average girl in the developing world can expect to live 10 years longer than her mother. - Women in every region of the world have begun to reduce their fertility. In the developing world the total fertility rate per women in 1950 was 6.2 live births; in 1995 it was 3.3 per woman - In low income countries, girls education lags behind boys , but it is increasing more rapidly. In these countries, the percentage of eligible girls enrolled in primary school rose from 37% in 1960 to 78% in 1995. At the secondary and tertiary levels, 45 percent of the world s students are now women. -With longer life, better education and smaller families, women are entering the paid labor force in large numbers all over the world. According to the World Bank, (1999) there are 880 million women in the world s formal labor force, twice the number in 1950. Rates of women’s employment, on the other hand, vary by region; they are lowest in South Asia and theMiddle East, highest in Eastern Europe, the Far East and North America, but everywhere there are sizable numbers of women working for pay Other than that Current knowledge on the situation of women workers in the developing world deals primarily with urban women and those in enterprise development zones. For the eighty percent of women in developing countries who live in rural areas, less is known about their formal employment. Thus change comes more slowly in rural areas, and farm women’s access to schooling, health care and paid employment has been more limited than their urban sisters. Yet change is clearly underway. In many rural areas there are increasing numbers of young women with substantial education who are having fewer children, and having them later. Such younger women, rather than their illiterate mothers, present an attractive labor pool and many companies are employing them in substantial numbers. Those with more education may serve as clerks, office staff, computer operators, or managers. More of these jobs are permanent, with better pay and benefits. Those with less education may do field work, pick and pack crops, or work in food processing factories. Many of these jobs are seasonal, and workers are employed on short-term contracts with lower pay and limited benefits therefore right of this group of women needs more attention. Unsikilled women labour is hired by companies because -Women are often more willing to accept seasonal work, because it permits them to fulfill other family responsibilities and still generate cash income. Secondly, For some types of production women are seen as better workers, more careful in picking and processing delicate crops,and more committed to the job Finally, Their wages are generally lower than men s in traditional rural labor markets, so they can be hired for less. Sonuç kısmı olarak For both male and female workers, the issues raised in research and policy include: Issues related to Equal Opportunity Employment, Human Resource Management , Health and Safety and Work/Family Balance At first glance many of these issues appear to affect both sexes in much the same way, but there are often subtle gender differences in their impact. First, Women may only be hired in a limited number of job categories. Second, Wage structures may pay more for jobs usually done by men. Third, Men may be considered more appropriate for managerial posts. Fourht Women may not be selected for training because it is assumed that they cannot leave their family responsibilities. Fifth, Overtime work which demands night travel involves different risks for women than for men. Sixth, Flexible time and emergency leaves may be more important to women because of their family responsibilities. Seventh, Benefit structures may include gender-biased elements (for example, only male managers may be eligible for company housing.) Finally, Unions may be male dominated, and not sensitive to women s issues. My personal view is that peace and development can be achieved as long as women are empowered. Thank you.