RDTA 7700: Promoting Gender Equality in the Labor Market for More Inclusive Growth

Detailed Program
Page

Monday, 17 June 2013

9:00 9:30 REGISTRATION

SESSION 1: 9:30 10:00

9:30 9:40 Opening Remarks Woo Chong Um, Deputy Director General, RSDD, ADB Lawrence Jeff Johnson, Director, ILO Country Office Philippines 9:40 9:45 Introduction Overview of Study and Research Imrana Jalal, Senior Social Development Specialist (Gender), RSDD, ADB Justice Robyn Layton, Team Leader, RDTA International Consultant

9:45 9:50

Brief Overview of Workshop Themes

9:50 10:00

COFFEE BREAK

SESSION 2: 10:05 10:50

10.00 10.45 Beyond Growth and Jobs: Gender, economic and labor market issues in Cambodia and Philippines Chair: Sonomi Tanaka, Lead Social Development Specialist (Gender), ADB Fiona MacPhail, Professor of Economics, RDTA International Consultant Session objectives and expected outcomes: Many national governments and international development agencies now recognize that employment is a key driver of inclusive growth. This session will examine arguments and issues relating to women, productive and decent work in Cambodia and the Philippines. Going beyond growth and jobs, this session will explore arguments concerning the necessity of gender-equitable, productive and decent work. The gender gaps in participation, productive employment and decent work are assessed. It will also examine in which sectors women are employed and draw question implications for strategies to promote gender equality for more inclusive growth.

SESSION 3: 10:45 11:45

10:45 11:45 More and Better Jobs for Cambodian Women: Key findings and recommendations (Social and Economic Policies; and Law) Cambodian Report Chair: Vu Manh Loi, Head of Department of Family Studies, Institute of Sociology, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences; ADB EFG

Lead: Sreymom Sum, RDTA National Consultant Sukti Dasgupta, Head, Regional Economic and Social Analysis Unit, ILO Bangkok Page

Session objectives and expected outcomes: The Cambodian study included a gendered analysis of social and economic policies, and the legislative framework and laws regarding the labor market. It also required recommendations to be made to promote expanded opportunities for the employment of women in decent work. This session will report on the analysis and recommendations made, why they were made and how they will assist womens work and employment. The second presentation is on women workers in the garment

Support: Fiona MacPhail/Robyn Layton

industry in Cambodia - the role that women have played in driving growth in the garment industry, and on the Better Factories Cambodia programme which has created a niche market for labour compliant garment exports. While there is scope for further improvement in terms of women's working conditions, this is a model which could be used in other industries and/or in other countries.

SESSION 4: 11:45 12:30

11:45 12:30 Putting Jobs for Women at Center Stage: Key findings and recommendations (Social and Economic Policies; and Law) Philippines Report Chair: Aurora De Dios, Executive Director, Women and Gender Institute, Miriam College; ADB EFG Lead: Carolyn Sobritchea, RDTA National Consultant Support: Fiona MacPhail/Robyn Layton Session objectives and expected outcomes: The Philippines study included a gendered analysis of the social and economic policies and the legislative framework and laws regarding the labor market. It also required recommendations to be made to promote expanded opportunities for the employment of women in decent work. This session will report on the analysis and recommendations made, why they were made and how they will assist womens work and employment. 12:30 2:00 LUNCH

SESSION 5: 2:00 3:00

2:00 3:00 From Global to Local: Global good practices on social and economic policies and law Chair: Shireen Lateef, Senior Gender Advisor, ADB

Robyn Layton Fiona MacPhail

Session objectives and expected outcomes: This session will provide a global review of selected social and economic policy frameworks, and legislation which promote gender equality in the labor market. The session will discuss policies, laws and measures which: promote access to work; limit constraints to work; and improve work conditions for women. Topics to be covered include macro-policies; gender targets; domestic and care work; training and education skills; entrepreneurship; employment offices; anti-discrimination measures and mechanisms; minimum wages and equal remuneration; social dialogue and social protection. It is designed to assist policy-makers who may be charged, as part of their duties, to design and implement policies, and to pass legislation to promote gender equality in the labor market for more inclusive growth. 3:00 3:15 COFFEE BREAK

SESSION 6: 3:15 4:45

3:15 4:45 Wanted: Jobs for the Girls - Planning for women's employment right from the start Chair: Sukti Dasgupta, ILO Bangkok

Rosa Linda Miranda, GAD Consultant; Retired Professor, University of the Philippines, School of Economics Discussant/commentator Sukti Dasgupta, ILO Bangkok

Page

Naoko Otobe, Senior Employment and Gender Specialist, Employment Policy Department, ILO Geneva

Session objectives and expected outcomes: Productive employment and decent work are necessary for inclusive growth, however, for growth to be truly inclusive, employment opportunities must be gender equitable. Decades of jobless growth have limited economic opportunities, failed to achieve desired reductions in poverty and inequality, and accentuated gender inequalities. Gender inequalities in the labor market, including gaps in participation, work burden, human capital, and decent work are now quite well-documented. Given these gender inequalities, this session will focus on macroeconomic strategies to expand the quantity of good jobs for women. How can monetary and fiscal (expenditure, tax) policies be designed to promote genderequitable employment? Given the emphasis on export-oriented development strategies, how can trade policies be designed to enhance the quantity and quality of womens employment? How can national employment policies be gender-mainstreamed and support employment rich development strategies? What are the best practices on integrating strategies for gender equitable employment and macroeconomic goals such as economic growth and price stability? How can gender mainstreaming and gender specific employment strategies assist? What are good practices in policy development? 5:00 6:30 GROUP PHOTO/COCKTAIL RECEPTION ADB Courtyard or hall (opposite Oakwood) Please bring your passport or other identity for ADB Security

End of Day 1 Sessions

Page

Tuesday, 18 June 2013

SESSION 7: 9:00 11:00

9:00 11:00 Matchmaking for Women: Linking skills training and job opportunities Chair: Yumiko Tanaka, Senior Advisor on GAD, Institute of International Cooperation, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA); ADB EFG

Karina Veal, Senior Social Sector Specialist, ADB Akiko Sakamoto, Deputy Director, ILO Philippines/Senior Specialist on Skills and Employability Marie Jane Liban, Executive Director, Monark Foundation Institute, Philippines Annemarie Reerink, Senior Sector Specialist, Gender Equality Policy Section, AusAID Discussant (TBC)

Session objectives and expected outcomes: This session will look at the links between poverty reduction and technical and vocational education and training (TVET), and the latters potential for increasing womens opportunities to find decent work. Effective TVET programs need to be co-ordinated, directly linked to government priorities in trade and investment, responsive to industry needs, be demand driven and involve public and private training programs. Frequently TVET programs are not only fragmented, but also gender neutral or gender blind, and therefore not responsive to womens work needs. TVET needs to address gender stereotyping so that women may expand their work opportunities into nontraditional occupations, as well as occupations in general, and to have programs designed and delivered to meet their needs. Gender responsive TVET would include women being involved in the development of programs and using gender targets. This session will discuss ways to achieve a gender responsive framework, and share good practice examples which increase participation of women in TVET, to improve their work opportunities, particularly in poor communities. 11:00 11:15 COFFEE BREAK

SESSION 8: 11:15 12:30

11:15 12:30 Rural Women Reaping Benefits: Rural women and community initiatives to increase decent work Chair: Maheen Sultan, Deputy Coordinator, Center for Gender and Social Transformation, BRAC Development Institute; ADB EFG

Luvy Villanueva, Project Manager, GREAT Women Project, Philippine Commission for Women (PCW) Dr. Cecilia del Castillo, Executive Director, Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation, Philippines Discussant (TBC)

Session objectives and expected outcomes: Rural women are frequently the poorest people, not only countrywide, but also in rural communities. Although they generally comprise about half the rural labor force they do not earn the same income as men from their work. They are disadvantaged at every level. Rural women do not have equal access to land, they have less inheritance rights, limited credit facilities, less extension services and require skills training programs which are delivered to meet their needs. Further, are women likely to be disadvantaged by commercialization of agriculture and the promotion of export-oriented crops? How can these constraints be addressed? The session will focus on specific good practice policies, strategies or programs which increase womens work and employment opportunities. For example womens collectives, entrepreneurship development, public-private partnerships, expansion of NGOs, and ways in which women to expand into higher value enterprises.

Page

12:30 2:00

LUNCH

SESSION 9: 2:00 3:15

2:00 3:15 Choirs sing loudest... decent work for women Chair: Imrana Jalal, ADB

Catherine Legados-Parado, Director, Bureau of Working Conditions, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Philippines Christine Nathan, Regional Workers Specialist, ILO Bangkok Robyn Layton Discussant (TBC)

Session objectives and expected outcomes: Decent work is defined as the availability of employment in conditions of freedom, equity, human security and dignity. Decent Work includes work that is productive and delivers a fair income, provides safety in the workplace, equality of opportunity and treatment for women and men, and freedom to join organizations to negotiate and influence decisions that affect working lives. It includes having effective mechanisms to monitor and enforce adherence to decent work standards as well as effective complaint mechanisms to redress breaches. Women are frequently subject to discrimination in the workplace and suffer poor work conditions and their voices are frequently not heard. This session will discuss good practice strategies and initiatives to encourage and support women to have their needs heard and addressed in the workplace. Strategies include good practice for effective labor inspectorates which are responsive to womens needs; effective complaint mechanisms; developing voluntary codes for employers and encouraging collective participation of women. 3:15 3:30 COFFEE BREAK

SESSION 10: 3:30 4:45

3:30 4:45 Underpinning Women's Work through Social Protection: Social protection strategies for the labor market Chair: Annemarie Reerink, AusAID

Sri Handayani, Principal Social Development Specialist, ADB Christine Nathan, ILO Bangkok Joanne Asquith, Senior Evaluation Specialist, ADB Discussant (TBC)

4:45

Closing Remarks

Imrana Jalal, ADB

End of Workshop

Page

Session objectives and expected outcomes: ADB defines social protection as a set of policies and programs designed to reduce poverty and vulnerability by promoting efficient labor markets, diminishing peoples exposure to risks, and enhancing their capacity to protect themselves against hazards and interruption/loss of income. Social protection programs include social insurance, social assistance; and labor market programs to help people to secure employment. This session will focus on and examine labor market interventions, policies and programs designed to support women in the work force. The session will discuss good practice examples of policies, strategies and programs drawn from around the globe and include consideration of development partners, funding issues, the role of employers, and public private partnerships in social protection. What type of labor market programs have succeeded and which have failed? What are the lessons learned?