Macroeconomics & Gender
Dalit and Adivasi peasantry contributing to the plantation economy. Photo by : FIAN, Tamil Nadu
Introduction
Macroeconomics & Gender
In recent years, India has strengthened the bilateral trade trajectory. The ascendance of neo-liberalism in her policy making which also more and more constitutes the economic and developmental philosophy of her population raises concerns for academicians, experts and advocates in gender focused organizations. HBF realizes that the processes of globalization and trade liberalization are not gender neutral. Hence there is an urgent need to factor in an objective assessment of the gendered impact of economic and trade policies of the government of India.
 
One of the foundation’s objectives is to mainstream gender into EU-India trade relations. The realization or the absence of a critical mass of debate and dialogue, research analysis and advocacy among concerned stakeholders on the aspects of gender justice of the EU-India FTA has been the starting point for this programme on ‘gender and trade’. HBF’s efforts are to address the lack of gender sensitivity in trade policy making, implementation and evaluation. The foundation supports and establishes links with the civil society, policy makers, academic institutions and the media.

Key Programmatic areas include:

  • To gain a better understanding on the ways in which liberalized trade has influenced gender inequalities and relations.
  • To build capacities and strengthen civil society voices on trade and gender issues
  • Advocate for gender mainstreaming in trade negotiations and macro-economic policies
  • Networking with national, regional and international actors for making research and advocacy more inclusive and effective

Research

Briefing Papers

Two recent papers by Kavaljit Singh considering investment and banking sector implications of an India – EU FTA

March 1, 2011 - The current Indian trade – policy environment faces many new questions and challenges in light of the impending landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU). The following briefing papers try to delineate and decipher potential economical implications that this agreement would portend for the Indian banking sector and raises concerns about resulting unchecked cross – border investment flows. By Kavaljit Singh, Director, Public Interest Research Center more»

Report

Economic Liberalisation and Gender Dynamics in Traditional Small-Scale Fisheries: Reflections on the proposed EU-India Free Trade Agreement

 - November 9, 2010 -

New Report from Heinrich Boll Foundation in collaboration with Focus on the Global South and Intercultural Resources. Based on field work in the southern Indian state of Kerala, this paper explores the dynamics within traditional small scale fisheries in the context of the controversial negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and India. 

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Research Study

The Current Trade Framework and Gender Linkages in Developing Economies: An Introductoey Survey of Issues with Special Referance to India.

 - Given the emphasis on gender mainstreaming today, the gender impact of trade policy must be paid serious attention to, especially as it is increasingly evident that trade policy is not 'gender neutral'. The nature of international trade itself is undergoing continuous changes, with autonomous liberalization being accompanied by initiatives at the WTO as well as rapid advances in Preferential or Free Trade Agreements.
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Research Study

The Current Trade Paradigm and Women's Health Concerns in India: With Special Reference to the Proposed EU-India Free Trade Agreement.

 - India is currently negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with the European Union, which includes not only liberalization of commodity trading, but also a wide range of chapters including deep services trade liberalization, full investment liberalization, and stricter IPR conditions than the TRIPS norms. more»

Research Study

The EU India FTA in Agriculture and Likely Impact on Indian Women.

 - India's trade policy has undergone a significant shift towards an increasing engagement with Free Trade Agreements as compared to unilateral trade liberalization or multilateral trade liberalization through the WTO. This shift in India's trade policy has had a significant impact on the agriculture sector which no longer enjoys the exclusive protection it has received so far. more»

Research Study

The EU-India FTA in Services and Possible Gender Impact in India: Concern Areas

 - This paper studies the impact of services trade liberalization under the currently negotiated EU-India FTA on women’s lives in India and tries to delineate the concern areas. Services sector liberalization can affect women in two major ways; by creating or destroying employment and incomes; and by, affecting the access to critical basic services like credit, health, education, water, energy. more»

Publication

In Search of Economic Alternatives for Gender and Social Justice: Voices from India

 - February 11, 2010 - In search of economic alternatives: Voices from India" is a new publication from WIDE and Hbf. It is an edited collection of short essays by Indian authors on economic structures, relations and principles that are needed to serve the goals of sustainable economic and human development, poverty eradication, social justice, and empowerment of the most vulnerable segments of society: women, Taken together, the 12 essays form an agenda of alternative thinking, linking gender with other social, livelihood, and democratic concerns. more»

Awareness Raising and Capacity Building

Briefing Papers

Free Trade Agreements and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Series

September 29, 2011 - This series is the output of a project on Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India, a joint initiative by Traidcraft Exchange, Third World Network and Shramik Bharti. The project is developed in collaboration with and is supported by the Commonwealth Foundation, Network for Social Change, and the Heinrich Böll Foundation. The series is published for information dissemination and capacity building on issues related to the specific provisions in and likely impacts of FTAs on the MSME entrepreneurs and workers in India.

South Asia Regional Autumn School

Global Finance and Human Security in South Asia: A Gender Perspective

 - August 1, 2011 - Lady Shri Ram College for Women (University of Delhi) in partnership with the Heinrich Böll Foundation is holding a South Asia Regional Autumn School on the theme - Global Finance and Human Security in South Asia: A Gender Perspective from November 1–5, 2011. more»

Briefing Papers

HBF-TWN Trade & Gender Briefs

- September 22, 2011 - HBF India has published in collaboration with Ranja Sengupta of Third World Network (TWN) 4 briefing papers in simple language on trade liberalization and their gender impacts in India. These papers available here demystify & deal with the four functional areas of current global trade paradigm – namely Agriculture, Services, IPR and Investment. more»

Documentary Film

1 Cube: Three; yet one!

 - 1 Cube: Three; yet one! - is a documentary film by Pramod Dev. Depicting three women who work in export-oriented sectors of India's economy, the film shows how the demands of trade impact upon the personal, familial, social, economic and cultural aspects of the lives of the protagonists. more»

Article

Special Article:Analysis of Gender Profile in Export Oriented Industries in India.

- The current economic crisis surely supports the claim that neo-liberal economic policies have not worked thereby leaving many more across the world poor and vulnerable. Without a clear focus on human rights and inclusive growth no economic policy can ensure growth with development. Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right but also an important yardstick for growth with equity. Women play an equally important role in a country’s economic development and a crucial role in the household well-being and with equal opportunities this would undoubtedly foster greater welfare and sustainable growth. MDG (3) exhibit the importance of gender equality for all round development of a country. Bansari Nag more»

Trade and Investment Policy Paper #6

Free Trade Agreements Versus Bilateral Treaties

- August 4, 2010 - The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of the changes that are taking place in the international normative framework on investment through surveying the European Union and United States’ Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with developing countries. more»

INTERVIEW

Interview of Ranja Sengupta and Shefali Sharma on the planned EU-India Free Trade Agreement.

- March 17, 2010 - Interview conducted by Helga Neumayer of Frauensolidarität. Supported by HBF, Ranja Sengupta, Fellow- Centre for Trade and Development (Centad), has conducted sectoral research on the gender impact of EU-India FTA. The research studies are available on our website. more»
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Advocacy

Briefing Papers

Food Security, Human Rights and the India-EU FTA agreement

December 21, 2011 - The ‘Ecofair Trade Dialogue’ project, promoting discussion about a sustainable and fair agricultural trade, presents two new papers: one discussion paper, examining Human Rights in EU Trade policy and one new analysis of the Trade Agreement between EU-India that gives a closer look to issues of food security.

Article

Ambitious Trade Liberalization and Indian Agriculture:

- The article summarizes succinctly concerns voiced by policy analysts, civil society organizations in India as well as the EU regarding possible impacts of various provisions in the EU - India FTA on India’s agriculture sector. It also joins dots to link the cost/ benefit being incurred by the agriculture industry with benefits/ costs sustained by other Indian sectors (negotiated as “chapters” in the FTA) to show that how the cumulative result of existing EU negotiating positions is not optimal for India’s exceptionally large farming community and hence also for the Indian trade context. Download the full article. By Ranja Sengupta, Third World Network

Workshop

Free Trade Policies and Impact on Sustainable Development, Social and Gender Justice: A Case Study of the EU-India Free Trade Agreement.

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At the end of August India’s new Foreign Trade Policy 2009-14 entered into force. The new Foreign Trade Policy lays out ambitious objectives in times of the challenging worldwide economic, food, fuel and climate crises. Commerce Minister Sharma states “We would like to achieve an annual export growth of 15% over 2010-11 with an annual export target of $200 billion by March 2011.

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Review Report

The EU-India Free Trade Agreement negotiations: Gender and social justice concerns

- A critical review of the Trade Sustainability Impact Assessment for the Free Trade Agreement between the EU and the Republic of India from a gender perspective. The EC has commissioned an external consulting agency ECORYS to conduct a Trade Sustainability Impact Assessment to identify economic, social and environmental impacts of free trade agreement between EU and India. This is intended to inform the trade negotiators to enable a more sustainable and sound pact. WIDE has undertaken a review of this report and process and has come out with a pointed review and critique. more»

Memo

The EU-India Free Trade Agreement negotiations: Gender and social justice concerns.

 - The EU-India Free Trade Agreement negotiations: Gender and social justice concerns. A memo for Members of the European Parliament. Written by Laura Paulus, it intends to inform the new Members of European Parliament (MEPs) about the state of play of the EU-India FTA negotiations and highlights critical concerns in relation to gender, social and sustainable objectives. more»

Gender, Trade and Development

Workshop

South Asia Regional Workshop on Global Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on Women A Human Rights Perspective.

August 25, 2010 - PWESCR in partnership with UNIFEM and Heinrich Böll Foundation has hosted a two day South Asian Regional Workshop. The workshop is intended to enable experts in developing policy and advocacy tools to address the negative impact of the financial and economic crisis from a gender and human rights perspective.
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Key Websites on Trade and Gender

Links

Global

The websites published here are selected by HBF. We are not responsible for the content display on these sites which are goverened by their own privavcy policy. more»