Export processing zones. Gender-neutral policies?

Globalization has seen a dramatic growth in production chains which now stretch around the world. Export processing zones (EPZs) house many of the enterprises involved in those chains. There are at least 2,000 EPZs in the world today, employing some 27 million people. Between 60% and 90% of zone workers are women, often young and in their first job. The way these women experience work differs markedly from that of their male counterparts, because women also have domestic responsibilities and occupy socially determined "traditional" positions which complicate their working lives. However, the lack of gender sensitivity on the part of policy-makers, administrators, employers and even trade unions, means that the special situation of women zone workers is not taken into account. Thus, they are adversely affected by gender-neutral policies which, in practice, discriminate against women.

A day in the life of an EPZ working mother

A typical mother working in a typical EPZ has to rise hours before her shift at the factory begins, because she has to prepare food for the household and care for the children. She may then have to walk a long distance to reach public transport, or even walk all the way to work. So, by the time she gets to work, she is likely to be tired even before she starts her intense 10-hour work shift. She may well not have eaten breakfast and consequently may lack the energy to sustain the output her supervisor expects.

If the machine she operates breaks down she has to call a male technician to fix it. While she is idle she loses out on the piece-rates and production bonuses she would normally be able to obtain. The technician has many people waiting for their machines to be fixed and so he might offer to fix her machine first if she agrees to perform a sexual favour.

If she has a daily quota to reach in order to earn the minimum wage, she may have to spend two or three extra (unpaid) hours to finish her work, and if the factory is falling behind in filling orders the workforce may be ordered to work overtime.

This affects both male and female workers, but in general the males do not have to feed, clean and take care of a household. If the extra hours result in her leaving the factory after dark she may be exposed to physical danger, and could have difficulty obtaining transport home. Such 16- to 18-hour days take their toll, and the absenteeism and turnover rates of female zone workers is high. Many burn out and leave after five or six years of zone work. Others marry, have children, and are unable to resume a working life because their domestic responsibilities are too demanding.

Zone administrators and employers are aware of the problems posed by absenteeism, labour turnover and poor productivity, but are often at a loss as to how to deal with them. One obstacle which needs to be overcome is the lack of a gender perspective, without which it is difficult to appreciate the real nature of the problem; namely, the double burden of work and family responsibilities which women workers often have to bear, and the socially defined limits to their education, training and career opportunities. Such a gender perspective would equip policymakers and practitioners alike with the analysis necessary to ensure that women are able to reconcile their work and family responsibilities, and that they receive the access to the training and career opportunities they presently lack.

One example of particular relevance to women is child care. In many EPZs around the world women have difficulty finding suitable facilities for their children while they are at work. This is a time-consuming, expensive and stressful demand on working mothers. In some cases the mother is obliged to stop working altogether to care for the children, depriving the family of her income and the employer of an experienced worker. If zone authorities and employers combined their resources they could establish or support day-care centres which would ease the burden on working mothers and encourage them to return to work after childbirth. Some zone enterprises have established small crèches within the factory premises, while others have supported community-based facilities.

Another important area of concern is training, both vocational and life-skills training. In many EPZs the women are involved in simple processing or assembly tasks and receive only a minimum of training. In the worst cases this means that a woman may work in a garment factory for five years and not know how to make the complete garment, because she has performed only one repetitive function. This means that she does not have a skill which she can transfer to another type of work. As a result, she may leave zone employment with little chance of finding a job elsewhere. It is essential that EPZ employers be offered incentives to train workers, and that zone administrators provide facilities for ongoing training. If life-skills is also provided, women workers leaving the zone may be able to set up independent income-generating activities based on the skills acquired during their stay in the zone which would also generate employment.

The ILO is currently preparing a manual which will seek to raise awareness about the special situation of women workers in EPZs, and highlight best practices in dealing with the problems they face.

Gender! A Partnership of Equals
Geneve: International Labour Office, 2000. 115 p.

Export processing zones
Gender-neutral policies?

Gender! A Partnership of Equals Geneve: International Labour Office, 2000. 115 p.

Export processing zones Gender-neutral policies?

Gender! A Partnership of Equals
Geneve: International Labour Office, 2000. 115 p.

Export processing zones
Gender-neutral policies?