Women's Empowerment and Fair Trade

According to Principle 6 of Fair Trade, We the producers, artisans, weavers, farmers, and craftswomen and men; We the Fair Trade Organizations, NGOs, and Community-Based Organizations; We the local, national and regional Fair Trade networks; We the advocates, activists and supporters; We the conscientious buyers, importers, retailers, and consumers; and We the global movement all embrace Gender Equality. However, we need to ask exactly what does this mean and how is it attained?

Obviously to begin we need to define Gender. Firstly, gender is not sex; it is not a biological difference.  In March, 2011 I examined how gender originates: International Women's Day: What is Gender?  To be succinct, Gender is a social construct; it is how society views and judges men and women differently based on five reproductive organs, our only physical differences. To understand that gender is a social construct is to examine the effects of this construct in our own lives. Ask yourself, what roles women have in the household, in the family, in the community, in society and within culture. How do those roles differ from the roles of men? What are the expectations a given society places on women and men based on those roles. 

When we separate sex from gender, we begin to see the differences between men and women are nothing more than socially constructed differences. It isn’t that men are better decision-makers just because they have a penis; or that women are better caretakers of children just because they can give birth. These are all assumptions; social constructs surrounding reproductive functions, not based on fact.  Now let's go on...

What is Gender Equality? 

Gender Equality is commonly defined as a social order in which women and men share the same opportunities and enjoy full participation in the social, cultural, political, legal, and economic arenas, to include both the public and domestic realms. In other words, there are no "glass ceilings" limiting levels of participation, no constraints placed on either men or women due to socio-cultural constructs or expectations, and no consequences for pursuing goals and ambitions in any of these areas. 

What is Gender Equity?

Gender Equity entails the steps, set of actions, attitudes, and assumptions that provide equal opportunities in the progress towards gender equality.

One action a state takes towards gender equity is to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). To understand the principles of this convention, read A Rights-Based Approach to Fair Trade: Understanding CEDAW. Once this treaty is ratified by the state, the onus of responsibility for ensuring equality between men and women belongs to the state. The state in turn enacts laws and policies to be implemented in the legal systems. Ultimately the implementation of gender equality laws influence the socio-cultural norms of society.  

 

Why is it important for the Global Fair Trade Movement to understand this?  To begin, there is a direct linkage between globalization, exploitation and poverty, which Fair Trade aims to address. Gita Sen, a well known Indian intellectual and author of Development, Crises, and Alternative Visions: Third World Women’s Perspectives, has greatly helped to transform popular thinking on Gender and Development. In her speech, Challenges to Gender Justice in a Neo-Conservative Era, she noted: 

"As kept being recorded in one human development report after another, was soaring global inequality, between countries and within countries, soaring inequalities between different classes, between different sections and segments of people and particularly the feminization of poverty on a dramatic scale.

Now this is interesting because globalization is often held up as being the era of the feminization of the labour force.  Women in fact have come into the labour force in large numbers. What is ironic therefore is that you have a feminization of the labour force and a feminization of poverty taking place simultaneously. And I think this reflects the paradoxes and the ironies of the current stage of global capitalist order.  Because it means that getting a job is no guarantee that you will be out of poverty.  The number of working poor, the insecurity for those who work and who struggle to survive increased.” 

                                                                                    - Gita Sen

Considering the ‘feminization of poverty’ Sen illuminates in her speech, the impact of the free market ideology on poor women in developing nations is particularly harmful. When we utilize a Rights-Based Approach we recognize poverty as injustice and includes marginalization, discrimination, and exploitation as central causes of poverty.   

For a Rights-Based Approach to be successful, it helps to have a comprehensive framework on which to build a movement. Winner of the 2003 Africa Laureate, Sarah Longwe, designed a theoretical model based on a five-step approach to Gender Equity, a model I utilized for my Master’s Degree thesis on the Obstacles and Approaches to Gender Equality in Sri Lanka, © 2008 (see below).

Longwe's Women's Empowerment Framework

The purpose of Longwe's Women's Empowerment Framework is to move upwards from gender equity to gender equality. Firstly, through the provision of the needs of women; then onto raising awareness of women’s rights. The third through fifth steps are to facilitate access to, participation in, and ultimately share control of three frameworks: Social-Cultural, Legal and Political. In short, Sarah Longwe’s Framework presents a Road Map to rise from gender equity to substantive gender equality (read: A Rights-Based Approach to Fair Trade: Understanding CEDAW) as emphasized in the UN convention on Women's Rights and embraced by UNIFEM. Below is Longwe's Empowerment Framework, to see the progressive steps read it from bottom up; from Welfare to Control:

Longwe’s Women’s Empowerment Framework
Control ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑	Empowerment seeks a balance of power between women and men, so that neither is in a position of dominance. It means that women have power alongside men to influence their destiny and that of their society. In Longwe’s view, empowerment is an inter-connected cycle of countering discrimination and oppression. Addressing the roots of inequality at one level leads to a discussion about all of the other levels. Empowerment takes place as individual women and groups of women move between levels, gaining strength along the way. Empowerment occurs in the Process of Social Change
Participation / Mobilization ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑	The individual woman in the home is not likely to make much progress in challenging traditional norms – Power expands in numbers and connection. Mobilization is therefore the fourth and crucial stage of empowerment, which enables the collective analysis of gender issues, and the collective commitment to action. Mobilization is largely concerned with redefining participation in decision making, as participation of a mobilized group will spark the search for empowerment at yet another level. In development projects, it includes involvement in needs assessment, project design, implementation and evaluation. Social Change occurs with mobilization!!!
Conscientisation ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑	Here an understanding of the difference between sex roles and gender roles comes into force with the belief that gender relations and the gender division of labour should be fair and agreeable to both sides, and not based on the domination of one over the other. Access now pertains to women’s access to factors of production, land, labour, credit, training, marketing facilities, and all publicly available services and benefits - on an equal basis with men. Equality of access is obtained by securing equality of opportunity through legal reform to remove discriminatory provisions. Social Change is on the agenda!
Access ↑ ↑ ↑	The gender gap at the welfare level results from inequality of access to opportunity, information, and other resources. Empowerment means that women are 1) made aware of the gap and 2) animated to take actions for gaining access to their fair and equal share of the various resources available within the household, and within the wider system of state provision. Action here takes women automatically to the next level.
Welfare ---------	At this base level work views women as passive recipients and welfare pertains to the level of material welfare of women, relative to men, with respect to food supply, income and medical care, without reference to whether women are themselves the active creators and producers of their material needs. This level is not sustainable nor does it empower women.

What I appreciate about Longwe's model is that Empowerment is not a given, and the end result is not equated to material gains. Empowerment takes place as individual women and groups of women move between levels, gaining strength along the way; Empowerment occurs in the Process of Social Change. However, one thing remains - How does this empowerment framework relate to Fair Trade? 
 

This may seem a bit academic, but to test where Fair Trade stands in relation to empowering women on this framework, I have placed relevant principles of Fair Trade in line with the level of actions taken towards gender equality.

Longwe’s Women’s Empowerment Framework		Fair Trade Principle
Empowerment seeks a balance of power between women and men, so that neither is in a position of dominance. It means that women have power alongside men to influence their destiny and that of their society.	Control	Principle 6: The organization actively promotes applications from women for job vacancies and for leadership positions
Women’s collective analysis of gender issues, and the collective commitment to action. Redefining participation in decision making, as participation of a mobilized group will spark the search for empowerment at yet another level	Participation	Principle 6: Women fully participate in decisions concerning the use of benefits accruing from the production process; The organization respects the right of all employees to form and join trade unions of their choice and to bargain collectively. Principle 2: The organization finds appropriate, participatory ways to involve employees, members and producers in its decision-making processes. Principle 4: A fair price is one that has been mutually agreed by all through dialogue and participation; equal pay for equal work by women and men.
Understanding of the difference between sex roles and gender roles; division of labour should be fair and agreeable to both sides, and not based on the domination of one over the other. Access now pertains to women’s access to factors of production, land, labour, credit, training, marketing facilities, and all publicly available services and benefits - on an equal basis with men.	Conscientisation	Principle 6: The organization provides opportunities for women and men to develop their skills; in production situations where women's work is valued less highly than men's work, women's work is re-valued to equalize pay rates and women are allowed to undertake work according to their capacities. Principle 8: The organization develops the skills and capabilities of its own employees or members; Organizations working directly with small producers develop specific activities to help these producers improve their management skills, production capabilities and access to markets Principle 3: (When a pre-payment is received) from buyers, (the organization) ensure that this payment is passed on to the producers or farmers who make or grow their Fair Trade products.
Empowerment means that women are 1) made aware of the gap and 2) animated to take actions for gaining access to their fair and equal share	Access	Principle 6: The organization does not discriminate (regardless of) gender or sexual orientation; The organization takes into account the special health and safety needs of pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers.
The gender gap at the welfare level results from inequality of access to opportunity, information, and other resources	Welfare	Principle 1: The organization supports marginalized small producers… it seeks to enable them to move from income insecurity and poverty to economic self-sufficiency and ownership. Principle 6: Organizations working directly with producers ensure that women are always paid for their contribution to the production process, and when women do the same work as men they are paid at the same rates as men.

  

From this matrix we can clearly see that Fair Trade is not solely about earning a living wage, but is genuinely a movement which embraces gender equality. To make Longwe's framework easily accessible and functional for the women and men of Fair Trade I have published it here on a downloadable pdf format:

Longwe's Women's Empowerment Framework

However, before we celebrate the proactive steps Fair Trade takes towards women's empowerment, I invite you to read a blog post which is reflective of the realities on the ground for some Fair Trade producers. While on the Journey for Fair Trade in Ache, Indonesia, I discovered that despite FLO certification, none of the twelve cooperatives had followed through on their obligations towards empowering women. 

Their failure to follow our shared principles was reflected in the fact that most of these coffee producers had NO WOMEN REPRESENTATIVES out of the 50+ elected representatives in their decision-making bodies. Granted, a couple cooperatives I had been exposed to in the region had elected one or two women to decision-making boards, but this was hardly representative of the women's membership. I encourage you to read the post: Coffee Part III - Empowering Communities through Action in which I discuss what actions I took to break the ice to address this seemingly culturally sensitive issue. Not that change imminently followed my actions, but a seed was dropped, and social norms questioned for the first time.


With that said, Johannes Egger the FLO-Cert Auditor for Indonesia has presented me with another experience he has with two cooperatives, "There are also some success stories in Aceh!!!! There is one with a complete board of a cooperative of women. Another successful cooperative is managed by a woman (one of the best managements I have seen the last three years)."  I find this to be an inspiration, that change can happen through Fair Trade!

My point here is that 

Fair Trade is as much about Social Change,

    as it is about Empowering Producers.

 

When I call for integration of a Rights-Based Approach to Fair Trade, I am calling for the enactment of what has already been set in motion through our shared principles: Women's Empowerment through Social Change. 

Join Chou and I in integrating a Rights-Based Approach to Fair Trade.

Mitch Teberg, MA 

International Consultant

Sustainable Development / Fair Trade/ Women's Rights and Gender

Researcher / Trainer / Consultant   

Feel free to add your comments, thoughts or ideas below or catch me on facebook.

To see how Longwe's framework was utilized to analyze the national women's movement of Sri Lanka, I have published it here in a downloadable pdf format: 

Obstacles and Approaches to Gender Equality in Sri Lanka, Mitch Teberg, 2008

From Principles to Practices - Part II

Contracting with producers on their business practices is especially important in Fair Trade. In my experience, local producer groups generally do not have a high level of knowledge on how to operate an ethical business, so typically they base business practices on what their experience has been in the local context. This definition seldom focuses on fairness, sustainability or preservation, but on maximizing profit at any expense. When we begin to reflect on this concept of "business," it is not hard to find out where it originates and how it filtered down to local communities. 

Frankly stated, it is a brand of capitalism run amok which is extremely destructive to the community and environment it operates in. The far right Neo-Conservatives and their cohorts, the poorly informed, FOX News-manipulated Tea Party movement in the United States call it Free Market Capitalism; academics and economists around the world label it neo-liberal economics; Libertarians claim it as their own; and anyone with an iota of concern for the future call it exploitative, abusive, careless, excessive, destructive and unhealthy in so many ways. 

Unfortunately for the world's poor, institutions like the World Trade Organization, World Bank and IMF embrace neo-liberal economics. As for the Asian Development Bank, don't be fooled; it lines up directly with the unholy trinity despite its attempt to seem more "Asian". Regardless of the institutional efforts to whitewash the truth, people in "developing countries" see and learn from their practices of favoritism, elitism, and blatant corruption. People not only see, but directly experience the ongoing disregard for human rights, labour rights, indigenous rights, and land rights in the name of economic development where "sacrifices have to be made for the greater good." Oddly enough, they are never the sacrifices of a nations elite or ruling powers. And not to leave out the careless destruction of the environment in various "development" projects. There are countless publications on the catastrophic impacts of these institutions. One highly recommended for those interested in an introductory publication is Unholy Trinity: The IMF, World Bank and WTO by Richard Peet.  A paperback copy is available.

If you want an in-depth examination of the flawed economic theory of neo-liberalism and the lasting impacts it has when forced upon national economies, I highly recommend Naomi Klein's scathing, Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. Simply repeating their mantra of Deregulation, Privatization and Free Trade without examining the social and environmental impacts has made it clear that neo-liberalism is not based in reality. Considering the influence that this model of capitalism has on defining Business as Usual, it is not hard to understand a local adaptation of the same practices. As a result, concepts such as respect for human rights, social responsibility and environmental sustainability are seldom heard locally. 

But imagine just for a moment, if the inverse were true: 

Imagine if the global institutions of the WTO, World Bank, and the IMF did put human rights, social responsibility and environmental sustainability first and foremost above privatization, deregulation, corporate profits and stock market gains. National development of "developing nations" would have to be an inclusive, participatory and democratic affair...  

Now imagine the impact such a model would have on the concept of Business as Usual!

Understanding the influence these institutions have in setting business practices and standards, I would like to examine the importance of contracting with producers, particularly when the aim is to introduce another paradigm altogether. In this contract, we want to address the current imbalances in buyer-producer relations; in other words, to level the playing field. However, it is not just to balance the relationship between buyers and producers, but keep them accountable to one another as well. As I mentioned in the last post, The Basic Question I sought to answer in creating a contract between Helvetas and their producers : 

How to break down principles to practices while maintaining a fair disposition that equalizes the traditional imbalances between producers and buyer? 

www.helvetas.biz

As we know, Fair Trade operates on 10 principles. Helvetas has adopted those same principles:

1.    Creating Opportunities for Economically Disadvantaged Producers

2.    Transparency and Accountability

3.    Trading Practices

4.    Payment of a Fair Price

5.    Child Labour and Forced Labour

6.    Gender Equity and Non Discrimination

7.    Safe Working Conditions

8.    Capacity Building

9.    Promotion of Fair Trade 

10.  Environmental Protection

My focus in the drawing up the contract was as follows:

1. To provide clear definitions for common understanding
2. Assign clear and practical areas of responsibility to both the producer and the buyer for each principle. A Fair Trade contract cannot be one sided!
3. Reference the relevant United Nations and ILO Conventions, thereby integrate a Rights-Based Approach into the contract
4. Create a platform for in-depth discourse to develop common understandings that overcome social and cultural barriers between the buyer and the producer

To provide clear definitions for common understanding
One lesson we had in the Helvetas Workshop was about translation. Admittedly, some things can be lost or misinterpreted and there was a need for discourse to provide clarity. For example, in Vietnamese, the term accountability in contrast to responsibility was a challenge to translate to a common language. Additionally, the term transparency when applied was of concern to the producers. To what extent was transparency to be carried out? There was concern about information being utilized to start a competing enterprise that would endanger the first, so how far does this principle go and where is it applied? It took some explaining and examples to address this in the workshop. However, taking the lessons learned there, I decided to address those in the contract so I inserted simplified definitions that were easier to translate. For example:

Accountability is both responsibility and answerability.

Transparency implies openness, clear communication, and accountability. In practice transparency with workers includes open meetings, clear and inclusive decision making processes; information about product orders and delivery dates; and providing buyer information and end destinations. Transparency with buyers includes financial disclosure statements and audits to gauge if and how workers and local communities benefit from Fair Trade 

Assign clear and practical areas of responsibility 
Balancing responsibilities was done through careful analysis of each principle and viewing it from both the perspective of the producer and of the buyer. One example of balancing responsibilities between the buyer and the producer is in the Promotion of Fair Trade. Typically, it is thought that only the buyer is responsible for this since they are engaged in foreign markets. However, this can no longer be the case if Fair Trade is to be sustainable and truly global:

Promotion of Fair Trade
Responsibility of producer	·         Producer raises awareness of the aim of Fair Trade through their business dealings with contracted suppliers and within their communities. ·         Producer provides buyers with information about itself and the members that make or harvest the products.  ·         Producer advertising and marketing techniques are honest. ·         Producer actively searches to diversify markets through efforts to expand Fair Trade in local, national and regional markets. ·         Producer actively supports and participates in local, national and regional Fair Trade movements, networks and campaigns.
Responsibility of buyer	·         Buyer raises awareness of the aim of Fair Trade and of the need for greater justice in world trade through Fair Trade. ·         Buyer provides customers with information about itself, the products it markets, and the producer organizations or members that make or harvest the products.  ·         Buyer advertising and marketing techniques are honest. ·         Buyer seeks means for Producer to increase access to local, national, regional, and international markets. ·         Buyer actively supports, and when possible participates in local, national and regional Fair Trade movements, networks and campaigns.

Here producers are expected to act as catalysts for change by challenging the concept of Business as Usual in their dealings with suppliers. A simple question has to be asked in an example: How can a producer making bamboo handicrafts claim to be practicing Fair Trade if his supplier is sending children enslaved in debt-bondage into forests to haul out illegally cut bamboo and contributing to deforestation? To be a Fair Trade producer means more than just benefiting from the trade, but passing on the principles with their suppliers and in their communities. 

This example also shows the realistic future of Fair Trade is in the lessening dependence on the traditional trade flow from global south to global north. This can be done through the expansion of Fair Trade into local, national and regional markets; and it is the responsibility of the buyer to support these efforts as well.

Integrate a Rights-Based Approach into the contract  
Integrating the Rights-Based Approach is more than simply referencing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or the International Labour Organization (The UN specialized agency which seeks the promotion of social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights). For example, in the section on Gender Equity and Non Discrimination, I included Article 1 of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which is the only convention to provide such a clear definition of discrimination!

"‘Discrimination against women’ shall mean any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.” – United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, Article 1 

YouthEngage.com 

© Pam Fox

Create a platform to develop common understandings
To utilize this contract as a platform for discourse between the buyer and the producer as a means to overcome social and cultural barriers is very important, especially when assumptions can go unspoken. For example, in the principle addressing issues of Child Labour and Forced Labour there is a lot of room for misunderstandings if not addressed directly.

• Buyer provides the Producer with at least a summary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in the national language, and local language if applicable. 
• Buyer works with Producer to ensure a common understanding of Child Labour versus the passing on of traditional craftsmanship and culture.

Making the provision of information like UN Conventions the responsibility of the buyer is a good way to reflect the buyers vested interest in the social issues of the producers community. Besides, a little research is good for establishing relations with local Rights-Based NGOs and UN Organizations. In past training programs that I have conducted, I went to the in-country offices UNDP, UNICEF and UNIFEM for pamphlets, handouts, copies of conventions, printed resources and posters on relevant issues. These organizations have a budget for printing materials in national and local languages, and more often than not, they are in search of partner organizations which would provide these materials to project beneficiaries at local levels. I have always had positive receptions and received material support when I went to meet officers and in-country directors. After all, we have the same objectives when Fair Trade integrates a Rights-Based Approach. 

Another approach for buyers to support producers is to contact local Rights-Based NGOs or other Fair Trade support organizations if the buyer is conducting business dealings from abroad. Contract them to conduct a training on child rights or women's rights. I have also conducted these training programs, and it can really impact a group in positive ways! However, I must say that if the buyer has never set foot in the country of the producer a visit would be a healthy connection, and stop by the UN offices for materials on the way! For buyers going to the producer and seeing their community firsthand it completely changes your perception of Fair Trade because it is no longer an abstract idea or purpose; Fair Trade becomes up close and personal. 

Fair Trade is real; it is about people and communities! 

YouthEngage.com

I would like to add a special thanks to Helvetas Vietnam (www.helvetas.org.vn) for permitting me to write of our work together to make the world a better place. Recognition also goes to my partner and greatest supporter, Chou. We are currently residing in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam where I will continue to keep up this blog delving into relevant issues as I write about our Journey for Fair Trade.

For Fair Trade Organizations, Non-Government Organizations, socially conscious businesses, producers or Fair Trade advocates interested in more information or assistance to create a Fair Trade contract, feel free to contact me directly. I am available for consulting and training, to include Training of Trainers in the fields of:

• Fair Trade; 
• Sustainable Community Development; 
• Human Rights and Child Rights; 
• Women's Rights and Gender

Other areas I conduct training in are Organizational Development, Results-Based Management,  Monitoring and Evaluation, Project Proposal Writing, and Management and Leadership.

Note: Special thanks to Dr. Sabam Malau for his comment and reminder below. The next post will focus on means of verification. Feel free to add your comments, thoughts or ideas below or catch me on facebook.

Mitch Teberg, MA