Apec 9th Women Leaders Network (2004)

1. APEC 9TH WOMEN LEADERSAPEC 9TH WOMEN LEADERS
NETWORKNETWORK
CHILE 2004CHILE 2004
Is ASIA PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATIONIs ASIA PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION
Working for Women Workers?: Social AspectsWorking for Women Workers?: Social Aspects
Of Commercial IntegrationOf Commercial Integration
Veronica OxmanVeronica Oxman
Deputy Coordinator ‘Labor Cooperation Project Chile/MINTRAB - US/DOL’Deputy Coordinator ‘Labor Cooperation Project Chile/MINTRAB - US/DOL’
Development Associates Inc. ChileDevelopment Associates Inc. Chile

2. Women workers within APEC economiesWomen workers within APEC economies
• Women constitute between 32 and 46 % of the laborWomen constitute between 32 and 46 % of the labor
force in individual economies.force in individual economies.
• Globally, the increase in women's overall share of theGlobally, the increase in women's overall share of the
labor force has been particularly marked in export-labor force has been particularly marked in export-
oriented sectors, where women comprise as much asoriented sectors, where women comprise as much as
three-quarters of the workforce.three-quarters of the workforce.
• Although women are known to be particularly active inAlthough women are known to be particularly active in
the informal sector, their participation and contribution tothe informal sector, their participation and contribution to
the economy through this sector is undoubtedly greater.the economy through this sector is undoubtedly greater.
• In most of the APEC’s economies women continue to doIn most of the APEC’s economies women continue to do
most of the social reproductive work (caring of childrenmost of the social reproductive work (caring of children
and eldest, household duties, family feeding, and alland eldest, household duties, family feeding, and all
other related to the domestic daily living)other related to the domestic daily living)

3. Is Economic Integration Working for WomenIs Economic Integration Working for Women
Workers: social aspects in APECWorkers: social aspects in APEC
Within APEC social aspects have beenWithin APEC social aspects have been
incorporated mainly through the concept ofincorporated mainly through the concept of
human capacity building (HCB)human capacity building (HCB) andand humanhuman
resources development (HRDresources development (HRD) to be achieved) to be achieved
through:through:
Well educated and well-trained individualsWell educated and well-trained individuals
who will contribute to future economicwho will contribute to future economic
growth and development through their rolesgrowth and development through their roles asas
parents and community figures as well asparents and community figures as well as
through current or future employmentthrough current or future employment.”.”

4. Asia Pacific Economic Integration opensAsia Pacific Economic Integration opens
new opportunities for Women Workers:new opportunities for Women Workers:
• Social aspects are crucial to any integrationSocial aspects are crucial to any integration
process: trade partners are committed toprocess: trade partners are committed to
establish non-discriminatory practices betweenestablish non-discriminatory practices between
economies and environmental friendlyeconomies and environmental friendly
investmentsinvestments
• Development cannot be achieved withoutDevelopment cannot be achieved without
building up alliances between women, andbuilding up alliances between women, and
women and men in the processwomen and men in the process
• The structure andThe structure and modus operandi of APECmodus operandi of APEC
(coordination and consensus)(coordination and consensus)

5. Asia Pacific Economic Integration opens newAsia Pacific Economic Integration opens new
opportunities for Women Workers:opportunities for Women Workers:
• APEC has considered some importantAPEC has considered some important
social issues: education, vocationalsocial issues: education, vocational
training, safety nets, SARS, and STARStraining, safety nets, SARS, and STARS
• Every year new social issues are beingEvery year new social issues are being
incorporated, this year HIV/AIDS at theincorporated, this year HIV/AIDS at the
9th WLN9th WLN
• Gender as part of the mainstream ofGender as part of the mainstream of
APEC’s agendaAPEC’s agenda aa

6. Other strengths of Asia PacificOther strengths of Asia Pacific
Women WorkersWomen Workers
• 17 of APEC economies have ratified at17 of APEC economies have ratified at
least one Convention on the elimination ofleast one Convention on the elimination of
all forms of discrimination in employmentall forms of discrimination in employment
and occupation (CNº100 & CNº111) of theand occupation (CNº100 & CNº111) of the
International Labor Organization (ILO)International Labor Organization (ILO)
which are compatible with APEC’s goal ofwhich are compatible with APEC’s goal of
equality and better opportunities forequality and better opportunities for
womenwomen

7. Asia Pacific Economic Integration opensAsia Pacific Economic Integration opens
new opportunities for Women Workers:new opportunities for Women Workers:
• ECOTHECH is one the most importantECOTHECH is one the most important
mechanism to consider when discussingmechanism to consider when discussing
social issues:social issues:
– aimed at attaining sustainable growth andaimed at attaining sustainable growth and
equitable developmentequitable development
– reducing economic disparities among APECreducing economic disparities among APEC
economieseconomies
– improving economic and social well-beingimproving economic and social well-being

8. APEC mechanisms dealing with socialAPEC mechanisms dealing with social
aspectsaspects
• Human Resources Development WorkingHuman Resources Development Working
Group (HRDWG).Group (HRDWG).
• APEC Ad Hoc Health Task ForceAPEC Ad Hoc Health Task Force
• APEC Social Safety Net Capacity BuildingAPEC Social Safety Net Capacity Building
Network (SSN CBN)Network (SSN CBN)
• Small and Medium Enterprises WorkingSmall and Medium Enterprises Working
Group’s (SMEWG)Group’s (SMEWG)
• APEC Women Leaders Network (WLM)APEC Women Leaders Network (WLM)
• Gender Focal Point Network (GFPN)Gender Focal Point Network (GFPN)

9. Asia Pacific Economic Integration opensAsia Pacific Economic Integration opens
new opportunities for Women Workers:new opportunities for Women Workers:
• Technical Cooperation is an important tool to beTechnical Cooperation is an important tool to be
developed between economies in order todeveloped between economies in order to
achieve the goals of APEC Foraachieve the goals of APEC Fora
• Labor and social safety net issues included inLabor and social safety net issues included in
the concept of human capacity building (HCB)the concept of human capacity building (HCB)
• The coordinated debate focused on theThe coordinated debate focused on the
education, employment (HRD), science andeducation, employment (HRD), science and
technology (ST), information technologies andtechnology (ST), information technologies and
communications (ITCs) policies to enhancecommunications (ITCs) policies to enhance
human resources development.human resources development.

10. Asia Pacific Economic Integration opensAsia Pacific Economic Integration opens
new opportunities for Women Workers:new opportunities for Women Workers:
• APEC’s early integration of aAPEC’s early integration of a gendergender
perspectiveperspective in the analysis has made itin the analysis has made it
possible to open space to issues such aspossible to open space to issues such as
micro-economies (SMEs), life quality, e-micro-economies (SMEs), life quality, e-
trade, and many others not being includedtrade, and many others not being included
in other regional integration processes.in other regional integration processes.
• Women participating at / through theWomen participating at / through the
Women Leaders Network (WLN) sinceWomen Leaders Network (WLN) since
19961996

11. Asia Pacific Women Workers : difficultiesAsia Pacific Women Workers : difficulties
• Differential access to income generation,Differential access to income generation,
access to employment, access to trainingaccess to employment, access to training
and informationand information
• SMPs with little formalization, lack ofSMPs with little formalization, lack of
access to funding, technology andaccess to funding, technology and
adequate trading skills for e-commerceadequate trading skills for e-commerce
• Lack of language skills of non-nativeLack of language skills of non-native
English speakersEnglish speakers
• Long distances between the economiesLong distances between the economies
large travel expenseslarge travel expenses

12. Asia Pacific Economic Integration opensAsia Pacific Economic Integration opens
new challenges for Women Workers:new challenges for Women Workers:
• Generate channels for developing TechnicalGenerate channels for developing Technical
Cooperation between women of all APECCooperation between women of all APEC
economies.economies.
• Employment/entrepreneurships/alliancesEmployment/entrepreneurships/alliances
between private, publicbetween private, public
• Including the debate on a gendered analysis ofIncluding the debate on a gendered analysis of
social security or prevision systems for thesocial security or prevision systems for the
eldest that include all workers in the socialeldest that include all workers in the social
safety net issues, human capacity buildingsafety net issues, human capacity building
(HCB) at different periods of life(HCB) at different periods of life

13. Asia Pacific Economic Integration opensAsia Pacific Economic Integration opens
new challenges for Women Workers:new challenges for Women Workers:
• Continue to work coordinately with the HRDWG,Continue to work coordinately with the HRDWG,
Capacity Building Network (CBN); the EducationCapacity Building Network (CBN); the Education
Network (EDNET); and the Labor and Social ProtectionNetwork (EDNET); and the Labor and Social Protection
Network (LSP) on all levels of training, from earlyNetwork (LSP) on all levels of training, from early
schooling up to life-long learning, e-learning andschooling up to life-long learning, e-learning and
education in the context of the new economyeducation in the context of the new economy
• Trade in the new economy and its relation toTrade in the new economy and its relation to
employment/unemployment (HRD) introducing a genderemployment/unemployment (HRD) introducing a gender
perspectiveperspective
• Science and technology (ST) and ITCWG, inviting moreScience and technology (ST) and ITCWG, inviting more
women from these areas to participate in technicalwomen from these areas to participate in technical
cooperation and training projects for specific groupscooperation and training projects for specific groups

14. Asia Pacific Economic Integration opensAsia Pacific Economic Integration opens
new challenges for Women Workers:new challenges for Women Workers:
• Continue to enhance the need for ‘Continue to enhance the need for ‘anan
APEC’s gender perspective’APEC’s gender perspective’ in thein the
overall APEC Fora and all its WGoverall APEC Fora and all its WG
mechanismsmechanisms
• Need to build alliances with womenNeed to build alliances with women
participating in other free trade agreementsparticipating in other free trade agreements
and/or regional integration agreements inand/or regional integration agreements in
process, to exchange experiences ofprocess, to exchange experiences of
networking and seek for common areas ofnetworking and seek for common areas of
interestinterest

15. Asia Pacific Economic Integration opensAsia Pacific Economic Integration opens
new challenges for Women Workers:new challenges for Women Workers:
• Continue to train SMEs in /through ITCs toContinue to train SMEs in /through ITCs to
enhance e-trade between women of theenhance e-trade between women of the
different economiesdifferent economies
• Building up international strategies for WomenBuilding up international strategies for Women
SMEs development -as a key sector for theSMEs development -as a key sector for the
improvement of job quality, training to achieveimprovement of job quality, training to achieve
the goal of knowledgeable workersthe goal of knowledgeable workers
• Building up international strategies for WomenBuilding up international strategies for Women
SMEs to access financial resources and moveSMEs to access financial resources and move
into formalityinto formality

16. Opening PossibilitiesOpening Possibilities
• The work being done within HRD, HTF,The work being done within HRD, HTF,
SSN HCB is totally compatible andSSN HCB is totally compatible and
reinforcing to human rights (HHRR) in thereinforcing to human rights (HHRR) in the
economieseconomies
• Safety nets are necessary social protectionSafety nets are necessary social protection
strategiesstrategies
• Women’s social, cultural and economicWomen’s social, cultural and economic
rights are crucial to assure equalrights are crucial to assure equal
participationparticipation