2009 World Survey on the Role of Women in Development

EC/WSRWD/2008/REPORT 2009 World Survey on the Role of Women in Development: “Women’s control over economic resources and access to financial resources, including microfinance” Report of the Expert Consultation* Organized by The Division for the Advancement of Women and hosted by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Bangkok, Thailand 12-14 November 2008 United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women Department of Economic and Social Affairs Two UN Plaza – DC2-12th Floor, New York, NY 10017 Fax: (212) 963-3463 Email: daw@un.org *The views expressed in this document are those of the experts and do not necessarily represent the views of the United Nations TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction II. Organization of work A. Participation B. Documentation C. Programme of work D. Opening statements III. Background IV. Economic empowerment of women V. Macroeconomic policies VI. Labour markets VII. Land and other resources VIII. Financial resources IX. Measuring women’s economic empowerment X. Annexes Annex I. List of participants Annex II. List of documents Annex III. Programme of work EC/WSWRD/2008/REPORT Page 2 I. Introduction 1. The United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW) organized an Expert Consultation on “Women’s control over economic resources and access to financial resources, including microfinance”. The meeting was hosted by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Bangkok from 12 to 14 November, 2008. The Expert Consultation was part of the Division’s preparation of the 2009 World Survey on the Role of Women in Development, on women’s control over economic resources and access to financial resources, including microfinance. Ms Naila Kabeer from the Institute for Development Studies, University of Sussex, United Kingdom, has been commissioned to prepare the report on the basis of consultation with a broad group of experts in the area of women’s economic empowerment. 2. The World Survey on the Role of Women in Development is presented to the Second Committee of the General Assembly at five-yearly intervals and is focused on development issues affecting women. It has been prepared since 1986 to ensure enhanced attention to gender perspectives in regard to economic development. The relevant resolutions of the General Assembly on women in development have provided guidance to the Secretariat on the theme of the World Survey. 3. The 1999 World Survey focused on globalization, gender equality and work, and the 2004 World Survey addressed women and international migration. The General Assembly requested, in its resolution A/RES/59/248, the Secretary-General to update the World Survey on the Role of Women in Development for the consideration of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session; noting that the survey should continue to focus on selective emerging development themes that have an impact on the role of women in the economy at the national, regional and international levels.1 At its sixtieth session, the General Assembly decided that the theme for the sixth survey would be “Women’s control over economic resources and access to financial resources, including microfinance”.2 4. The Expert Consultation provided an opportunity for a group of experts to identify the key issues to be addressed in the World Survey and to provide inputs on the conceptual framework, approach, methodology and data sources to guide preparation of the annotated outline and first draft of the World Survey. The outcome of this Expert Consultation is provided in this report. II. Organization of work A. Participation 5. The Expert Consultation was attended by six independent experts from different regions of the world3 and two experts from the host organization ESCAP. Five observers (three representatives of the United Nations, one representative of an international organization and one 1 A/RES/59/248, para. 2. 2 A/RES/60/210, para. 38 3 One expert submitted her paper, but was unable to attend the meeting. EC/WSWRD/2008/REPORT Page 3 representative of a civil society organization) also participated. The Expert Consultation was also attended by the consultant, eight other ESCAP staff and two staff members of the Division for the Advancement of Women. (see Annex I). B. Documentation 6. The documentation of the meeting consisted of: An outline prepared by a consultant on behalf of the Division for the Advancement of Women; Seven papers prepared by experts. 7. This report and all documentation relating to the meeting (see Annex II) are available online at the website of the Division for the Advancement of Women: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/ws2009/ C. Programme of work 8. At its opening session on 12 November 2008, the meeting adopted the following programme of work (see Annex III): - Opening of the meeting; - Adoption of the programme of work; - Presentation and discussion of the concept paper prepared by the Division for the Advancement of Women; - Presentation of papers prepared by experts; - Closing session D. Opening statements 9. The Expert Consultation began with a welcoming message from Ms. Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), delivered by Ms. Thelma Kay, Chief, Social Development Division. In her statement, Ms. Heyzer welcomed the participants and emphasized that access to resources was a crucial issue for women’s empowerment and gender equality at the national, regional and international levels. She indicated that ESCAP was working on an energy security policy as a follow-up to the theme of the sixty-fourth session of the Commission of ESCAP in 2008. She also noted that the 2007 ESCAP Economic and Social Survey included a chapter on the cost of gender discrimination. She indicated that ESCAP would help to carry the core messages of the 2009 World Survey to its Member States. 10. The Expert Consultation was opened by Ms. Carolyn Hannan, Director, Division for the Advancement of Women. In her statement, Ms. Hannan welcomed all the participants and thanked the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and in particular the Social Development Division, for hosting this Expert Consultation. She acknowledged the excellent collaboration and support provided by the Chief of the Social Development Division, Ms. Thelma Kay. She outlined the background for the convening of the EC/WSWRD/2008/REPORT Page 4 Expert Consultation as part of the preparation by the Division for the 2009 World Survey on the Role of Women in Development. She stressed the importance of the World Survey for raising awareness that gender equality and women’s empowerment were not only important for social development but also imperative for economic development. The analysis during the expert consultation would provide the basis for the preparation of the World Survey, including further elaboration of the outline and would contribute to the policy recommendations to be presented to the General Assembly in 2009. III. Background 11. Women’s access to financial and economic resources was addressed at the Fourth World Conference on Women (1995), the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly (2000), and other intergovernmental processes, including the Millennium Summit (2000), the 2005 World Summit, and International Conference on Financing for Development (2002). A number of ILO Conventions and international human rights treaties, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, also contain provisions promoting women’s economic empowerment, including through access to and control over economic and financial resources. 12. The Beijing Platform for Action, adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women, recognized that the empowerment of women was a critical factor in the eradication of poverty.4 The Platform highlighted the differences in women's and men's access to and opportunities to exert power over economic structures in their societies. It emphasized that the development of economic structures and policies had a direct impact on women's and men's access to economic resources, their economic power and consequently the extent of equality between them at the individual and family levels, as well as in society as a whole.5 13. The Platform for Action recommended that Governments and the international community analyze policies and programmes from a gender perspective to promote more equitable distribution of productive assets, wealth, opportunities, income and services.6 The Platform also recommended facilitating women's equal access to resources, employment, markets and trade through, inter alia, promoting and supporting women’s self employment and the development of small enterprises, and strengthening women’s access to credit and capital on appropriate terms equal to those of men.7 14. At its twenty-third special session in 2000, the General Assembly addressed the need to improve the access of women to financial and economic resources.8 It acknowledged that policies and programmes should be formulated to achieve the goal of people-centred sustainable development, to secure livelihoods and adequate social protection measures, including safety 4 United Nations (1995). Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 4-15 September 1995 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.13), chap. I, resolution 1, annex II, para. 49, New York. 5 Ibid, para. 150. 6 Ibid, para. 58 (b). 7 Ibid, para. 166 (a). 8 General Assembly resolution S-23/3 of 16 November 2000, annex, para. 53. EC/WSWRD/2008/REPORT Page 5 nets and strengthened support systems for families, to promote equal access to and control over financial and economic resources, and to eliminate increasing and disproportionate poverty among women.9 15. Recent outcomes of the Commission on the Status of Women have addressed the issue of economic empowerment of women within the context of its priority themes, and have focused on, inter alia, gender-sensitive macroeconomic policies, employment opportunities for women, and women’s equal access to and control over resources and markets. In its agreed conclusions on “Eradicating poverty, including through the empowerment of women throughout their life cycle, in a globalizing world” adopted at its forty-sixth session, the Commission urged Governments to ensure that national legislative and administrative reform processes, including those linked to land reform, decentralization and reorientation of the economy, promote the rights of women, particularly those of rural women and women living in poverty, and take measures to promote and implement those rights through women’s equal access to and control over economic resources, including land, property rights, the right to inheritance, credit and traditional saving schemes, such as women’s banks and cooperatives.10 16. In its agreed conclusions on “Financing for gender equality and the empowerment of women” adopted at its fifty-second session in 2008, the Commission noted the growing body of evidence which demonstrated that investing in women and girls had a multiplier effect on productivity, efficiency and sustained economic growth, and that increasing women’s economic empowerment was central to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and to the eradication of poverty. It also recognized that adequate resources needed to be allocated at all levels, mechanisms and capacities needed to be strengthened, and gender-responsive policies needed to be enhanced, to fully utilize the multiplier effect.11 17. Resolutions adopted by the Commission have also focused on women’s economic empowerment. Resolution 49/8 on “Economic advancement of women” in 2005, for example, recognized that improving women’s economic status also improves the economic status of their families and their communities and thereby creates a multiplier effect for economic growth. It called for actions to promote economic advancement for women at the national level.12 18. Global leaders at the 2005 World Summit acknowledged that “progress for women is progress for all”13 and resolved to promote gender equality and eliminate pervasive gender discrimination by, inter alia, guaranteeing the free and equal right of women to own and inherit property and ensuring secure tenure of property and housing by women; promoting women’s equal access to labour markets, sustainable employment and adequate labour protection; and ensuring equal access of women to productive assets and resources, including land, credit and technology. 9 Ibid, annex, para. 53. 10 Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2002, Supplement No. 7 (E/2002/27- E/CN.6/2002/13), chap. I, sect. A, Agreed Conclusions, p. 11, para. 5 (aa). 11 Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2008, Supplement No. 7 (E/2008/27- E/CN.6/2008/11), chap. I, sect. A, Agreed Conclusions, p. 2, para. 11 12 Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2005, Supplement No. 7 (E/2005/27- E/CN.6/2005/11), chap. I, sect. D, Resolution 49/8, pp. 24-29. 13 A/RES/60/1, para. 58. EC/WSWRD/2008/REPORT Page 6 19. The recent General Assembly resolution on “Women in development” (A/RES/62/206), adopted in 2007, recognized the need to empower women economically and politically, particularly poor women, and encouraged Governments, with the support of their development partners, to invest in appropriate infrastructure and other projects, as well as to create opportunities for economic empowerment, in order to alleviate for women and girls the burden of time-consuming everyday tasks. 14 20. The articles of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) require Governments to take measures to eliminate discrimination against women in all areas, including in the field of employment and in other areas of economic life. Article 3 asserts that States parties shall take in all fields, in particular in the political, social, economic and cultural fields, all appropriate measures, including legislation, to ensure the full development and advancement of women, for the purpose of guaranteeing them the exercise and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms on a basis of equality with men. Article 15 of the Convention asserts the full equality of women in civil and business matters. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women addresses the issue of the economic empowerment of women in its general recommendations15 and concluding observations. 21. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights requires State parties to ensure the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all economic rights set forth in the Covenant. It includes a specific provision on fair wages and equal remuneration for work of equal value for women. 22. A number of International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions are of particular relevance to gender equality, in particular the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111), the Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100), the Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention, 1981 (No. 156) and the Maternity Protection Convention, 2000 (No. 183). IV. Economic empowerment of women 23. The World Survey will address women’s control over economic resources and access to financial resources, including microfinance, within the broad framework of the economic empowerment of women. There is increasing recognition that women’s economic empowerment is a key strategy for economic development. Increased access to and control over resources and opportunities for women not only improves the economic status of women themselves and their households and communities, but also creates a multiplier effect for economic growth. The lack 14 A/RES/62/206, para. 19. 15 These include “Temporary special measures”, “Equal remuneration for work of equal value”, “Unpaid women workers in rural and urban family enterprises”, “Measurement and quantification of the unremunerated domestic activities of women and their recognition in the gross national product” and “Equality in marriage and family relations”. EC/WSWRD/2008/REPORT Page 7 of economic empowerment for women both jeopardizes growth and poverty reduction and leads to less favourable development outcomes for women and their children.16 24. Participants emphasized the need to focus on achievements in terms of women’s economic empowerment, identify the remaining gaps and challenges, and address some of the key constraints that have hindered progress in achieving women’s economic empowerment. Participants also noted that the World Survey should explore the unrealized potential of women’s economic empowerment and provide strategies for moving forward. 25. Participants noted that Governments had obligations to promote women’s economic empowerment. In this regard, the World Survey should examine the potential impact of international human rights treaties, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which contain provisions promoting women’s economic empowerment. The manner in which States can systematically and effectively utilize these instruments to overcome the barriers to women’s economic empowerment should be explored. 26. It is also important to address some of the key constraints that have hindered progress in achieving women’s economic empowerment. Lack of legal provisions guaranteeing the economic rights of women, coupled with customary laws that discriminate against women with regard to inheritance rights, hinder women’s economic empowerment17 and are major factors in women’s vulnerability to poverty. Discrimination against women in the labour market and lack of adequate access to education, training and technology also constrain women’s economic empowerment.18 Stereotypical attitudes, traditional practices, and the unequal division of labour between women and men at the household level can exacerbate women’s unequal access to and control over economic and financial resources.19 V. Macroeconomic policies 27. Participants discussed the macro environment for women’s economic empowerment and the need to identify the inter-linkages with micro and meso levels. The recent financial crisis has illustrated the growing interdependence between regions. Changes in the political and economic environment in all regions with implications for women’s empowerment were noted. Participants stressed the need to capture commonalities across regions, but also to make distinctions between them. The linkages between economic and social policies at different levels and their impact on women’s economic empowerment should be explored in the World Survey. 28. Participants discussed the impact of trade on women’s economic empowerment. Trade policies can have diverse effects on financial resources for gender equality creating both 16 World Bank (2006). “Gender equality as smart economics: A World Bank Group Gender Action Plan (Fiscal years 2007–10)” (September 2006), Washington DC. 17 United Nations Development Programme (2008). “Innovative approaches to promoting women’s economic empowerment” Paper prepared for the partnership event on September 25, 2008: MDG3 – Gender equality and empowerment of women– A prerequisite for achieving all MDGs by 2015, p. 12. 18 Ibid. 19 Ibid. EC/WSWRD/2008/REPORT Page 8 opportunities and constraints through their impact on employment, income and prices. Trade can create employment opportunities for women in countries that export labour-intensive manufactured goods, but may also lead to unemployment of women if falls in prices force local industries to shut down or lay off workers.20 It was suggested that trade’s impact on women’s economic empowerment was mediated through the impact of trade on asset accumulation, its impact on gender inequalities and the nature of the legal, institutional and policy frameworks.21 29. Research suggests that it is uncertain that trade and trade liberalization actually result in increased income, especially for women who are the most affected by the adjustment and implementation costs of trade reforms.22 For example, in Sub-Saharan Africa, trade liberalization led to increased unemployment of women due to import competition and government policies promoting exports. Job creation for women was limited to a few sectors, such as non-traditional agriculture, clothing and textiles in export processing zones and services, which were often characterized by occupational segregation, lower wages and harsh working conditions.23 30. Poverty can force women to enter into trade as a survival strategy. For the majority of poor women in Sub-Saharan Africa, diversification into trade has not helped them move out of poverty as they could not accumulate assets.24 Participants underscored that economic empowerment of poor women could happen only when women were able to accumulate and sustain assets in relation to income, consumption and production. Furthermore, women’s economic empowerment is not only about access to and command over economic resources, but also relates to public, social, human and ecological capital.25 Women’s location within the trade sector and their position in the value chains are significantly determined by the entry costs to trade, with a clear segmentation between male-dominated high entry costs-high return activities, and low entry costs-low returns activities where women dominate.26 31. Although women make a major contribution to agricultural production, their contribution is underreported in all developing regions because women’s work is often unrecognized or is considered part of household responsibilities.27 Trade policies that promote cash crops and 20 United Nations, Division for the Advancement of Women (1999). World Survey on the Role of Women in Development: Globalization, Gender and Work (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.99.IV.8), pp. 12-13, New York. 21 Randriamaro, Zo (2008). “Trade, poverty and women’s economic empowerment in Sub-Saharan Africa”, expert paper prepared for the United Nations Expert Consultation, 12-14 November, 2008, Bangkok, Thailand, EC/WSRWD/2008/EP.1, p. 2. 22 Ibid., p. 3. 23 Ibid., p. 5. 24 Whitehead, Ann (2005) ‘The gendered impacts of liberalisation policies onAfrican agricultural economies and rural livelihoods’, Background paper for the UNRISD report Gender Equality: Striving for Justice in an Unequal World , cited in Zo Randriamaro (2008). op. cit., p. 8. 25 Randriamaro, Zo (2008). op.cit, p. 2. 26 Ibid., p. 7. 27 United Nations (2008). Women 2000 and Beyond: Rural Women in a Changing World: Opportunities and Challenges. New York: United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, p. 9. EC/WSWRD/2008/REPORT Page 9 prioritize export-orientated growth usually benefit men who predominate in these areas.28 In some cases, men may take over traditionally female crops when these are commercialized.29 32. Participants expressed concern about the increasing number of bilateral trade agreements and their potential negative impact on women. The divide between trade agreements and international commitments on gender equality needs to be reconciled, as instability of markets creates risks for women.30 One Latin American country requested United Nations agencies to provide estimates on the impact of a bilateral trade agreement to determine which producers would be winners and losers. Findings helped determine which products should be excluded from the free trade agreements. A similar approach can be taken to determine the impact of trade agreements on women producers. 33. Participants highlighted the need for a new global trade regime and economic governance system to provide the necessary policy space for Governments to promote women’s economic empowerment. The role of the State must be placed in a human rights framework, and effort made to ensure that trade policies lead to women’s economic empowerment.31 34. Participants emphasized the need to address the biases against poor women small-scale traders in monetary, financial and fiscal policies. The implications of the concentration of poor women’s activities in the unrecorded and unregulated informal trade sector should also be addressed. These women often lack capital to enable them to benefit from tariff exemptions, and they have little or no information on taxation policies.32 35. Because of women’s limited access to decision-making in policymaking bodies, economic policies and strategies are often not gender-sensitive and can exacerbate women’s unequal access to economic resources and opportunities. It is important that women participate at all economic decision-making fora at all levels in order to promote their interests.33 36. Participants noted the limited availability of quantitative and qualitative data. There are gaps in reliable sex-disaggregated data at national and household level on the entry costs to trade, returns and real incomes from trade. Labour force surveys in some countries, for example South Africa,34 have provided data on trade, including in the informal sector. A number of countries, including Uganda, have carried out surveys on the cross-border informal sector.35 Longitudinal studies are needed to identify the ways in which women move out of poverty. In many cases, methodological and analytical tools are at an experimental stage and need to be systematized and 28 Randriamaro, Zo (2006). Gender and Trade: Overview Report. BRIDGE Cutting Edge Pack, Brighton: BRIDGE/Institute of Development Studies (IDS) 2006, University of Sussex, cited in Zo Randriamaro (2008) op.cit., p. 6. 29 Thakur, Sarojini Ganju (2008). “Towards women’s economic empowerment- enhancing women’s control over economic resources”, expert paper prepared for the United Nations Expert Consultation, 12-14 November, 2008, Bangkok, Thailand, EC/WSRWD/2008/EP.2, p. 8. 30 Ibid., p. 13. 31 Randriamaro, Zo (2008). op. cit., p. 7. 32 Ibid., p. 10. 33 Thakur, Sarojini Ganju (2008). op.cit., p. 13. 34 South Africa (2007). Labour Force Survey, September 2007, Pretoria, South Africa: Statistics South Africa. 35 Randriamaro, Zo (2008). op.cit, p. 12. EC/WSWRD/2008/REPORT Page 10 Document Outline

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