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WOMEN AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
The Workforce
Most women work a double day, both in their place of employment and at home. Yet, they are seldom recognized for the work that they do outside of the home and virtually none are paid for the work they do maintaining their homes and families. The economic measurements that are used to calculate the wealth and the income of nation states do not include the unpaid work that is done by women in households. A great deal of the work is done by women in agriculture. Many assume that because the work is unpaid it is of little value. Considering that 90 percent of the agriculture in Africa is done by women, not for profit but to feed their families, this assumption is not very credible (Women's Action Agenda for a Healthy Planet). In fact, women work two-thirds of the world's working hours and receive one-tenth of the world's income (Asian and Pacific Women's Network Resource and Action Series - Health).
These are not the only economic contributions made by women. In some countries, women are used as commodities. Women are often exported to work in the sex trade, or as domestic workers and mail-order brides. For example, many women come to Japan each year to meet the demands of the sex industry ("Sex, Violence and Militarism", ASA NEWS, March/June 1992, Yayori Matsui). Such trade puts women's sexuality up for sale and often places them in life threatening situations.
Women are often discriminated against by banks and other financial institutions. In some societies, women are not allowed to hold land and are considered the property of their father or their husband. At present, women only own one percent of the world's land (Women's Action Agenda for a Healthy Planet). As a result, they are often unable to get loans or open bank accounts. This lack of financial opportunity limits the independence of women and keeps them in an position of dependence that is viewed as inferior to that of men.
Similarly, there are limited opportunities for women to receive the foreign aid that is provided to their countries. It is often directed through governments and agencies which do not understand or refuse to recognize the work done by women. The distribution of aid is often reflective of the cultural and sexist norms of the donating country. Therefore, it is often directed to men without considering the perspectives or work of women. This is beginning to change through the work of development agencies and programmes targeted specifically toward women.
More than ever before, women are entering the workforce outside of the home. This creates a number of issues. Female children are usually brought up differently than male children. Therefore, women may have different ways of doing things and have different value systems. Rather than using these differences as assets, employers often perceive women as unqualified. Even where women hold paying jobs outside of the home, the responsibilities of child care and household tasks are still assumed to be theirs. For some employers, the time away from work that is involved in having and raising children makes women undesirable employees.
Jobs held by women are lower paid than those held by men. Women receive 45 to 60 percent of the wage men earn for the same work. Women also make up about three quarters of the informal economy where there is little to ensure that their rights are respected (An Urban Problematigue, Richard Stran).
"We should ask ourselves why it is that in more than a quarter of the countries of the world women are not represented in the highest level of governments. This despite the fact that women have long been leaders in various capacities at the local level and have effectively led movements for environmental protection."
Maurice Strong, at the World Women's Congress for a Healthy Planet
Cite as: Youth Sourcebook on Sustainable Development. Winnipeg: IISD, 1995. Online. Internet. http://iisd.ca/youth/ysbk059.htm.