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mics.
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GENDER ISSUES IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE by Marina Fe B. Durano 1. Introduction Trade policies have different consequences on women and men because women and men differ in their economic and social status. Women and men respond differently to economic and trade policies because they have different sets of private resources and levels of access to public ones. Status and control over resources are intricately woven into the sexual division of labor, the assignment of productive and reproductive roles. Thus, the economic impact of trade policy on the genders must look at price and quantity effects as they relate to the differential status of men and women and their different sets of resources. Meanwhile, the social and human development impact of trade policy must look at how choice sets have been altered and how alterations have affected women and men. Both kinds of impact analysis, in turn, help determine the changes in the welfare of both genders. What determines status and control over resources? And what determines women's and men's choice sets? Households operate in an environment structured by economic incentives and institutional constructs. The behaviour of household members is governed by institutions, both formal and informal, that determine each person's available set of behavioral choices with some choice sets larger than others. The economy, at the macro and meso level, through the price-quantity mechanism also determines behavioral choices by supplying the relative prices that households face as each member interacts (or not) with the market, that is, as each member fulfills his or her productive and reproductive roles. International trade policy influences both macro-economic and meso-economic variables, clearly. Gender issues in international trade, however, requires an investigation of the transmission mechanisms from policy formulation to implementation and from macro-economic and meso- economic indicators to micro-economic and social development indicators. 2. Objectives and Discussion Flow The widening scope of international trade negotiations in recent decades forces those in the periphery of policy-making to take a comprehensive approach to analyzing the impact of these developments. This paper begins to show the many levels and pathways that the impact of trade can be felt by women and men. At best, the paper points out the links between macro, meso and micro levels of analysis. At least, it raises questions and possibilities for further exploration. What is hoped for is that a confirmation or rejection of the conjectures can be made as work around international trade issues proceeds. Participants can add new avenues as well as details and evidence as they see fit in order to contribute to a better understanding of gender issues in international trade. The rest of the paper is divided into eight parts showing different possible ways for research and analysis in gender and trade to advance. The third section briefly goes over the main assumptions of the basic international trade model and looks at how these assumptions can have a gender dimension. The fourth section discusses international trade and development. The fifth section looks at trade in relation to the macro-economy. The sixth section goes down to meso-analysis by at employment in industries or sectors. The seventh section focuses in on the household. Here, consumption effects are brought to light especially its possible interaction with production effects, which has yet to be investigated in the international trade context. Household level responses are multi-faceted and complex. Elaboration on cause and effect between trade and the genders require an explicit statement of how productive and reproductive roles change with the changes in prices, quantities and incomes due to trade. An eighth section talks about the role of institutions. Section nine is a reminder that women in poverty remain one of the most vulnerable groups, hence, special attention should be given to their needs. A short conclusion looks at the need for new and more data, policy alternatives and the development of coherent and effective advocacy strategies and campaigns. References are given at the end. 3. Assumptions of the Basic Trade Models The gains from trade are based on a set of assumptions that oftentimes do not reflect reality. It will be useful to remind us these assumptions and to look at how these assumptions change when seen from the perspective of gender analysis. Much of the discussion in this section will find itself repeated throughout the paper in different contexts. 3.1 Resources are fixed, fully employed and internationally immobile The dynamic nature of international trade renders these assumptions weak. Physical and financial capital accumulation and human capital development change the level of resources over time. International trade contributes to further accumulation and development but this must be viewed with caution. In the context of unequal trade between rich and poor nations, this means that any initial state on unequal resource endowments will tend to be reinforced and exacerbated by the very trade that these differing resource endowments were supposed to justify (Todaro, 1996:437).
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Paper Information
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Title: mics.
Words: 3882
Rating: None
Pages: 15.5
submitted by: leroyy
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