Gender Equality in Certified Agricultural Value Chains

Abstract

Globalization and trade liberalization have not provided income, security, and support to ensure improved livelihoods for all. Poverty reduction policies that were based on the overly simplistic assumption that expanding economic growth would reduce poverty have not always proved to be correct (KIT Factsheet, 2007). From an estimated one billion people that live on less than US$1 a day (UNDP, 2003), 70 per cent are women (Barrientos, 2002: 1). On top of that, female earnings are approximately 70 to 80 per cent that of male earnings in both developed and developing countries. Only 20 per cent of this difference can be explained by conventional economic variables such as educational attainment, work experience, and job characteristics (Kabeer, 2003). According to Oxfam (2004) this is one of the glaring failures of the current economic model. Millions of women in paid employment contribute significantly to national economic growth, but their jobs do not provide the income, security, and support to lift them and their families out of poverty (Oxfam, 2004: 2). To avoid undermining women’s livelihoods, there is a crucial need to recognize women’s contribution to the economy through both their productive as well as reproductive work (Randriamaro, 2006).