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
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- 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»
Trade Liberalisation, Gender Equality, Policy Space: the case of the contested EU-India FTA – In the context of the multidimensional crises and the restructuring of economic and political power relations, a fresh look at trade policies between the EU and India and at the nexus of social justice, gender, development and trade is necessary. Christa Wichterich and Kalyani Menon-Sen explore social and gender justice dimensions of the EU-India Free Trade Agreement negotiations. more»
Economic growth without social justice: EU-India trade negotiations and their implications for social development and gender justice – This paper attempts to place the EU-India FTA negotiations in their historical and topical context, and questions the coherence between the development aid agenda on the one hand, and the trade and investment agenda on the other. Does it still hold true what the European Commission stated in 1996 aiming at enhancing the EU-India partnership: "The European Union firmly believes that social development must be a parallel objective to economic development"? Exploring the main interests behind the FTA on both sides, the paper asks whether considerations regarding social inclusion, poverty eradication, and gender equality are informing trade policy-making. It looks at trade liberalisation and the FTA procedures through the prism of social justice and human development. Since bilateral trade negotiations are held in great secrecy, the paper wishes to provide civil society actors in the EU and India with background information and to build their capacity to engage critically in policy-making on trade and development and in transregional networking more»
Globalization and trade liberalisation affect group of individuals differently including men and women as separate groups.An interview with Amarendra Khatua, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce and Chair Steering Committee on Gender and Trade more»
Presently, FTAs or any other trade policy instruments are gender ignorant. – The following an interviews with Dr Shahid Ahmed, Senior Economist earlier with United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) – India. It raises questions of gender justice in trade. more»
The EU-India-FTA: Development and Growth for Each and Everybody? – In April 2007 India and the EU launched negotiations on a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA). After more than one year of mainly closed-door discussions there appear to be more contentious issues between the partners than ever. Negotiators on either side seem overburdened by the number of other trade agreements in negotiation. Both in the EU and Indian civil society more and more voices raise concerns especially regarding economic and social implications of this FTA. more»
Gender equality and trade-related capacity building: a resource tool for practitioners – This publication provides an introduction to the main gender equality issues arising from trade liberalization and trade-related capacity building. more»
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.
more»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»
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»
April 2009
Based on the premise that “there will be no climate justice without gender justice,”7 and vice versa, this introductory paper takes a preliminary look at the linkages between climate change, gender justice and the International Financial Institutions (IFIs). more»
The Current Economic and Financial Crisis: a Gender Perspective – This paper shows how the mortage debacle in the US affected not only the world economy, but also, and most seriously women and the poor. more»
The Global Food Challenge, Towards a Human Right s Approach to Trade and Investment Policies – This is a synthesis of a conference held in Geneva in November 2008. It was called “The Global Food Challenge – Finding New Approaches to Trade and Investment that Support the Right to Food”. more»
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