IMPACT OF GLOBALISATION ON WOMEN

Submitted by Fatima Zohra

Registration number: JMI8113361

MA Gender Studies

Paper: Gender and Development

Date of Submission: 30 October, 2023

IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION ON WOMEN

INTRODUCTION

The phrase "globalisation" is dramatic yet vague. American business schools are credited with creating
globalisation. It implies that the only businesses that will be able to survive are those that start planning
early and don't make any reservations. As a result, the only people who stand a chance of surviving are
those that take on a global role and broaden their operations rather than limiting themselves to the
protection of local resources. Globalisation encompasses not just the economic aspect but also the
realms of communication technology, ecology, work organisation, culture, and civil society. "A complex,
economic, political, cultural, and geographical process in which the mobility of capital, organisations,
ideas, discourses, and people has taken a global or transactional form," is how globalisation is defined.
Transnational firms are directing their factories towards emerging countries in quest of "cheap" female
labour by utilising the business motivation. The process of business, services, and technology
development and expansion on a global scale is known as globalisation. Supporters of globalisation
contend that increased rates of economic growth and improvements in people's standards of life will
result from it. The rate of globalisation is rising significantly, opening up new doors for developing
nations in particular, as they may now draw in foreign cash and investment.

WOMEN & GLOBALISATION

The lives of women around the world have significantly improved as a result of the present globalisation
trend, especially those of women in underdeveloped nations. However, women continue to face
discrimination in a number of spheres of life, such as civil rights, work, education, and health. In many
regions of the world, care is still poor, especially for women during pregnancy. According to gender
statistics from 2010, 529000 women die per year during pregnancy and childbirth. Greece (3), Singapore
(3), and Estonia (2) have the lowest rates of maternal mortality (deaths per 100,000 live births), while
the highest death rates in Somalia and Chad (1100) and the CIA World Fact Book for Sierra Leone(890).
In an effort to address global gender inequality, the empowerment of women and girls is a top priority
for the UN's Millennium Development Goals. Politicians and scientists emphasise the potential for a
global division of labour to boost the prosperity both for countries and for people (Lafontaine 1997). But
are the opportunities spread fairly according to gender?

The effects of globalisation on women differ from those on men in industrialised nations. However, they
are not impacted collectively; rather, their class and ethnicity have different effects. Temporary
employees are more likely to be women than men. The majority of those who quit their jobs for pay are
also women. The labor-intensive stages of the apparel and electronics industries' manufacturing were
moved from the industrialised north to the southern countries in the 1970s, which hastened the global
division of labour. As a result, in highly industrialised nations, wage costs and other wage expenses
decreased gradually.

Since women have historically conducted the majority of labor-intensive production, this has already
occurred at the expense of women's employment. This is frequently referred to as "remaining work"
because it cannot yet be done more cheaply by machines than by women. As the name suggests,
women are paid less to work in "low wage countries," where local businesses are mostly dependent on
these low salaries. They also want to avoid paying more in taxes and wages. Women also labour more
voluntarily in "low wage countries" since fewer of them belong to unions. Companies favour hiring
women over hiring men because they view women as "docile" workers who will comply with production
expectations at any costs.

Some jobs, like clothing assembly, are seen in poor countries as an extension of women's domestic
responsibilities. Thus, cultural factors have an impact on employment stratification in developing
countries as well. A strong desire for work possibilities for women in emerging countries leads to a swift
transformation of these societies' social structures. The "feminization of poverty" perpetuates the glass
ceiling even when the desire for female employment opens up a variety of opportunities and a sense of
independence (Moghadam 1999).

GLOBALIZATION’S IMPACT ON GENDER EQUALITY

One of the greatest rates of birth discrimination against women is found in India. An examination of
demographic statistics from 2017 predicted that even in 2050, India will have the worst sex ratio in all of
South Asia. The government has been asked to intervene through the "beti bachao, beti padhao" project
in order to ensure survival, safety, and education to girl children, as seen by the 2011 ratio of 918 girls to
1000 males. Gender inequality can also harm a nation's reputation abroad. It can make it harder for
nations to compete globally, especially for those with high rates of female employment and export
potential in goods and services.

The incentives for global policy action towards gender equality are strengthened by all of the
considerations. Globalisation, however, cannot eliminate gender inequality on its own in the absence of
public policy. Through markets, formal institutions, and informal institutions, the new forces of
globalization—which are defined as the confluence of economic integration, technological
dissemination, and increased access to information—have worked to lift some of the barriers to greater
gender equality.
Primarily, trade openness and the diffusion of new information and communication technologies have
translated into more jobs and stronger connections to markets for many women, increasing their access
to economic opportunities.

Secondly, Greater access to information has allowed many to learn about life and mores in other parts,
possibly affecting attitude and behaviors.

POSITIVE IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION ON WOMEN

Due to globalisation, more countries are exporting goods and services, and these industries pay
substantially more than other industries. In many situations, women are paid more in formal industries
than males. Thus, women now earn higher average incomes due to globalisation, and they also receive a
larger share of these wages. Women today have more work options thanks to globalisation, and they are
also making contributions. in household spending that help generate fresh resources and increase the
family's revenue. With the aid of globalisation and rising family money, women's social options have
elevated. In addition to working long hours for their families without receiving compensation, mothers
also the world around is not appreciated or given enough credit. Women now have more options in life
and in society thanks to paid employment, which has also improved their morale and given them more
self-confidence. With exports, more and more nations are engaging in the global economy, which
generates new job opportunities. Many nations have grown their involvement in international trade,
particularly low-income nations.

There are significant gender implications to this development if traditional methods are used for
agricultural work. Although there is a great need for women's labour on small farms where crops are
farmed traditionally, their pay is inadequate. Women's freedom is increasing as cash crops become more
profitable on global markets. There are fundamental changes in agricultural output as a result of
globalisation. Many nations began producing agricultural goods in order to boost their export values.
Working in companies as opposed to farms also improves the health of women. Women were paid
nothing or very little to labour on family farms, but when they work for businesses, particularly in export-
oriented industries, they are paid more.

We cannot overlook the impact of the service industry when discussing how globalisation has affected
women. The service industry is currently the most significant sector. It wouldn't be incorrect to state that
the industrial and service sectors are equally significant. Certain service industries, such as information
and communication technology, are making the same advancements as the industrial sector. This
industry is thought to produce more than any other economic sector, both in terms of total output and
the jobs it generates across numerous nations. Working in the unorganised sector, particularly in small
businesses, is thought to be the primary source of income for impoverished women (Dr. Hooda Sobhy).
The need for female employment is rising in several of the service industries with the quickest rate of
growth, including data processing sector, industrial export sector, airlines, railways, banks and insurance
companies. In developed countries due to expansion in the service sector, women get plenty of quality
work.
Multinational corporations select the best workers, regardless of gender, in a competitive workplace and
offer jobs without discriminating between men and women. It encourages more women to pursue
employment. For both Indian men and women, globalisation has created numerous opportunities. Since
India's economy was constrained prior to 1991. Following the introduction of "liberalisation,"
"globalisation," and "privatisation" policies, women now have a wealth of options in the form of new
employment. Women are earning more money as a result of globalisation, which boosts their sense of
independence and self-worth. Globalisation possesses the ability to dismantle the conventional
perspectives on women, enabling them to adopt an equal role in society. India is an agricultural nation,
thus there are plenty of prospects for women to advance in the agricultural field and earn more money.
The proportion of women working in agriculture is higher than that of males. Women profit not just
from the agricultural sector but also from the industrial and service sectors. Following the emergence of
globalisation, people's standards of life have grown, particularly for women.

Two full-time jobs are held by women. Their obligations around the house have not lessened even
though they moved to new places of employment. They made no payment for domestic duties. Women
have two sets of responsibilities: lengthy workdays at the office combined with taking care of the home,
including cooking and child care, impairs their productivity and gets in the way of their success. While
some women may find it liberating to put off getting married, they soon come to the realisation that this
kind of independence could potentially be a burden because finding a partner later in life is not as easy
as in their youth. In addition, women are taken advantage of by paying lesser wages than men. There are
numerous issues that women face in the workplace as a result of sexual harassment; many of them
choose not to work. Women who live in cities have a better status than those who live in rural areas.
Rural women are more likely than urban women to be exploited because of ignorance and illiteracy.

Without a doubt, women have improved in many ways because to globalisation. Globalisation has
brought about gender equality, something that Indian women have always struggled with, but it also has
a lot of unfavourable effects. The increasing globalisation trend has not benefitted all people equally.
Gender disparities in resources, habits of time management, availability of productive inputs, and agency
have moderately beneficial effects for some and adds greater disparity between the genders. The
educational disparities between genders have restricted women's access to new job prospects. In
addition to increasing output, education in agriculture strengthens farmers' ability to accept novel
approaches that yield better outcomes. However, compared to men, female producers face greater
barriers to entry into foreign markets due to their lower levels of education. If there isn't another
household member available to take on their tasks, gender roles can restrict women from taking
advantage of new chances in the business world. This is especially true when fresh chances present
themselves in the formal sector, where set timetables and extended work hours are the norm.

Women are less able to gain from trade openness due to their restricted access to productive inputs and
lower property rights. Women's mobility and roles in the economy might be disproportionately impacted
by gender norms, as they have lesser access to technology. Men typically operate cell phones, radios,
and television remotes at home. Men perceive computers as something at work, and women are
incapable of learning how to use them. Women are more directly impacted than men if reduced
government revenue is made up for by reduced social services. In expanding industries, a lot of new
positions come with poor pay, unstable employment, and few opportunities for training or
advancement. The lowering of labour standards to draw in investment might make these problems
worse. The impact of women's paid labour is hampered by certain gender-based barriers. For example,
businesses may reduce women's earnings, and women occasionally have to contribute all or part of their
earnings to their families, which exacerbates gender inequality.

In addition to making it simpler to take advantage of those in poverty who are trying to improve their lot
in life, globalisation has also led to significant advancements in communications and transportation,
which have made it easier to process people physically. Globalisation has had a significant impact on
women's lives in developing countries during the last 20 years. Indian women now enjoy higher living
standards as a result of globalisation; media and advertising have raised people's needs. For women to
be able to afford a decent lifestyle, they must work and contribute to the household income. There are a
tonne of charitable organisations dedicated to empowering women. These groups have equipped
women with the literacy and career skills necessary for advancement. In India, the Self-employed
Women's Association is a union of women laborers willing to work hard and seize any work
opportunities they might get. Globalization has aided their opportunities in many ways. SEWA has
established a women’s co- operative bank with 125000 members and with the help of globalization, they
have even reached the women in rural areas of India. Markets in different areas can now be reached by
Indian women who have a part in business.

CONCLUSION

In India, women's roles in globalisation are evolving these days. As non-governmental organisations
(NGOs) have grown in prominence in the twenty-first century, a multitude of organisations have been
established to protect women's rights globally. Without a doubt, globalisation presents women with
both amazing benefits and brand-new, distinctive obstacles. There are many different causes of gender
inequality, and it can be challenging to identify which types of inequality are being mitigated and which
are being made worse by the consequences of globalisation. In an integrated world, gender inequality
carries more consequences. In order to achieve equality in society, women must put forth far more
effort. Therefore, women tend to suffer more negative effects from globalisation than positive ones.