Enhancing female employment in global production: policy implications

Female employment in global production is significant in certain sectors of manufacture and agriculture. There has not only been a ‘feminization’ of the labor force, but also a change in the gender dimension of global employment. Women’s earnings are often a crucial element in household survival, they are not ‘secondary earners’ as depicted in more traditional employment models, and they can accrue many advantages from their employment. But women are often concentrated in flexible and informal work, and gender constraints often limit their ability to access work opportunities and benefits. In this article, we consider some of the key constraints to women’s ability to take up employment in global production, and to participate in the labor market on more equitable terms. We consider: (a) How do we develop policies which address the combined productive and reproductive roles of women working in global production? (b) How can female employment in global production be enhanced in terms of increasing the opportunities and quality of women’s work in global exports? (c) What role can different stakeholders play in enhancing gender equitable employment in global production?