e conomic e mpowerment of h ome -b ased w omen e ntrepreneurs : a c ase s tudy of f ish p rocessors...
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ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF HOME-BASED WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS: A CASE STUDY OF
FISH PROCESSORS IN CAMBODIA
Committee: Dr. Kyoko Kusakabe (Chairperson)
Prof. Jayant Kumar Routray
Dr. Philippe Doneys
Presented by: Chea Pisey
Scholarship Donor: DAAD
May 17th, 2010
School of Environment, Resources and DevelopmentGender and Development Studies
Asian Institute of Technology
PROBLEM STATEMENT Does promoting women’s economic activities contribute to
women’s empowerment?
Some researchers argue that women’s participation in economic activities and access to income alone do not lead to empowering women in household.
For home-based women fish processors in Cambodia there are different degrees and limitations in their empowerment in
the household why is this so?
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
1. To identify the commodity chain of processed fish in Cambodia and how men and women are placed in the chain
2. To analyze the relationship of different actors in the nodes and terms of trade which is determined by gender identities and relations
3. To assess the strategies of home-based women fish processors for negotiating their power relations in the chain for securing raw material, labor and market.
4. To assess the extent of economic empowerment of home-based women fish processors in households affected by their participation in the economic activities
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Negotiation Power (market, labor, raw
material)
Gender Relation in Governance Structure of Commodity Chain Gender Relation in Household
Business performance of women fish processors
Gender Division of Labor in production
Term of trade & their relationship
Women fish processors position in household
Access and Control over resources Decision-Making
Division of Labor in Household
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Type of Research
Descriptive and exploratory research Study Areas
Preaek Sramaoch and Wat Pou village were selected. Data Collection method
Secondary data: Journal articles, books, reports etc. Primary data:
Reconnaissance survey Key-informant interview In-depth Interview: 10 market-based women fish
processors and 15 family-based fish makers were interviewed.
Household Survey: 13 market-based fish paste processors and 52 women family-based makers were chosen.
Observation
Data Analysis
How women fish processors are positioned in the processed fish chain?
Fish Paste (Market-Based Enterprise)Semi-Processed Fish (Family-Based Enterprise)
Fish paste (510 Riel/kg) is more profitable than semi-processed fish (150 Riel/kg)
Figure 3: Fish Paste and Semi-Processed Fish Chain
Exporter in Poipet Market
Retailer
Middleman(Outsider) Wholesaler
Middlemen (Insider)
Semi-processed fish makers
Fish Paste processor (Preaek
Sramoach)
Middlemen
Collector
Fish Paste processor (In Wat
Pou)
Family’s members
Neighbors Fisher
Middleman (outside
province)
Retailer (Siem Reap)
Middleman (Mobile)
Exporter
Thai Client
Middlemen (Stall-based)
Note: _____ the activities are currently practiced --------- the activity is temporarily stopped
TERMS OF TRADE AND POSITION OF WOMEN FISH PROCESSORS IN THE MARKET (1)
Both family-based and market-based women fish processors are both marginalized in the market. They gain the least profit and have low bargaining power, comparing to other actors.
Yet family-based women fish processors have lower bargaining power than market-based women processors.
Family-based women fish processors Few sources of raw material suppliers. The market is linear with only one market’s choice, allow a
particular group to take control on the market. The product cannot be stored for more than a day. The market is secure, but they are completely dependent.
TERMS OF TRADE AND POSITION OF WOMEN FISH PROCESSORS IN THE MARKET (2)
Market-based women fish processors More sources of raw material suppliers. There more market’s choices for the products. Their products can be stored for a year, so they
can look for various buyers and have stable supply through the year.
But, the market is not secure.
Are women fish processors empowered because of their contribution to family from their fish processing enterprises?
Level of Women’s Contribution to Family
Percentage of Income
Types of productionTotal
FBE MBE
0-25%14
(26.9%) -14
(21.5%)
26-50%34
(65.4%)2
(15.4%)36
(55.4%)
51-75%2
(3.8%)5
(38.5%)7
(10.8%)
76-100%2
(3.8%)6
(46.2%)8
(12.3%)
Total52
(100%)13
(100%)65
(100%)
Percentage of Income
Types of productionTotal
FBE MBE
0-25%4
(7.7%)8
(61.5%)12
(18.5%)
26-50%11
21.2%5
38.5%16
(24.6%)
51-75%33
(63.5%) -33
(50.8%)
76-100%4
(7.7%) -4
(6.2%)
Total52
(100%)13
(100%)65
(100%)
Income from fish processing and other sources of income from women
Income from men
Note: FBE: Family-Based Enterprises, MBE: Market Based-Enterprises
ACCESS TO AND CONTROL OVER INCOME
Access to Income Women are the keepers of family’s finance regardless of their
level of income. Their role of keeping money attaches other role to women as
housewife ensuring household basic need. Decision-Making over Expenditure
This role in managing money gives women power to decide independently regarding daily food and other small expenditures (less than 31.7 USD).
However, large expenditure is decided jointly by women and men.
Market-based women fish processors have more decision-making power than family-based processors in the household. Yet, their decision-making power remains limited.
Decision-Making over Business Investment There were 84.6% of family-based processors making decision
on their business investment, while there were only 69.2% among market-based fish processors.
Gender Division of Labor in Production
Access to and Control over Resources
Women have access to labor, land and credit. Land: 87.5% of land certificates were jointly registered
under women’s and men’s name. Credit: women and men are entitle to formal and
informal credit. Usually, borrowing formal credit is done jointly by women and men
However, it is not clear whether women’s access to these resources stems from their position in household because of their business.
Women’s control over resource (credit) depend on their decision-making power in household.
Gender Division of Labor in Household
Household Activities
Women Men Women and MenTotal
FBE MBE FBE MBE FBE MBE
Cooking
40(76.92%)
9(69.23%)
- -12
(23.08%)4
(30.77%)65
(100%)
Washing dishes
37(71.15%)
9(69.23%)
- -15
(28.85%)4
(30.77%)65
(100%)
Washing clothes
35(67.31%)
7(53.85%)
- -17
(32.69%)6
(46.15%)65
(100%)
Food Shopping
52(100%)
13(100%)
- - - -65
(100%)
Collecting firewood
16(30.77%)
3(23.07%)
14(26.92%)
7(53.86%)
22(42.31%)
3(23.07%)
65(100%)
Fetching water
19(36.54%)
4(30.76%)
11(21.15%)
3(23.09%)
22(42.31%)
6(46.15%)
65(100%)
Looking after children
30(57.69%)
7(53.85%)
- -22
(42.31%)6
(46.15%)65
(100%)
Note: FBE: Family-Based Enterprises, MBE: Market Based-Enterprises
Gender division of labor in household
CONCLUSION The commodity chain analysis showed that women fish
processors are in a position where they have less bargaining power.
Family-based processors are in a weaker position when compared to market-based processors because of its limitation in both procurement and market.
Although they, especially the market-based processors are contributing large part of the household income, this is not necessarily strengthening their decision-making power in household, and has not changed the gender division of labor. The amount of income does not change gender relations. Why? Their work are seen as support to men’s occupation. They are not independent. The traditional role of men as head of family. The nature of their work based at home.