What does Trade Liberalisation have to do with Women?

Trade liberalisation has far-reaching consequences for women’s livelihoods.

Trade liberalisation intensifies export competition. Women are increasingly the workforce of choice for many export industries. Successful export industries - argues the World Bank - are those that enjoy a "competitive edge" through cheap and efficient labour. In many cases, this is women's labour.

As economies compete against each other under conditions of trade liberalisation, a hidden consequence is the phenomenon of women in different countries competing against each other. This will have the effect of driving down wages and working conditions, as economies vie to develop ever more competitive edges.

Through trade liberalisation, world trade has expanded to cover new areas - notably, agriculture, intellectual property rights, services, and foreign investments. These new issues impact significantly on women’s livelihoods.