Currently, the world is in the middle of a great upheaval in the history of human rights and freedoms. It is in the age of globalization. Various events show that the world as we know it has changed. Several terms have consequently been coined in reference to this era. These include global community, global culture, civilization, free trade, and many other terms. However, the process of globalization has resulted in various fragments and conflicts. This is because tyrannies arising are rising and there are changes in the society as new social classes emerge. This change is real and while the strong run to their safe harbors, the weak live amidst the dangers. One of the vulnerable constituents of globalization is women. This is because, in a globalized society, consumerism and capitalism are emphasized. As a result, exploitation and other adverse effects are likely to bloom (Subhalakshmi, 2012). Conversely, the positive impacts of the new phenomenon cannot be overstated. This is especially in the context of women. Therefore, this essay will explore the process of globalization its impacts, both positive and negative, on women.
What is Globalization?
Traditionally, international firms in conjunction with the World Bank created an economic system to avoid impending loss of investment in foreign countries. In their quest, they established a world market with an assurance of maximum production and profit-making from the under-developed countries. Financiers acknowledged that the under-developed nations were incapable of making progress without the support of industrialized nations (Bacchus, 2005). This concept led to mainstreamed entry of transnational firms into developing countries. This marked the birth of what is currently referred to as globalization.
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However, scholars and economists have various explanations of globalization. Commonly, however, globalization is explained as the unification of transnational economies through the elimination of barriers to trade. This has been undertaken to encourage the free flow of resources that include capital and labor across administrative boundaries. The core values on which the model of globalization is found are the sustainability of national economic progress, removal of trade barriers, globalization of trade and privatization (Subhalakshmi, 2012). The path to human development, socially, economically and politically is therefore anchored on the core values.
Regardless of the optimistic promises brought about by globalization, there are numerous adverse effects. This is especially to vulnerable groups such as women. Particularly, globalization is prone to cause exploitation of disadvantaged groups and hence threaten their welfare. In this era of free trade and capitalism, both advantages and disadvantages are arising. Historically, women had to use force to receive some of their civil rights (Subhalakshmi, 2012). In the same breadth, in this age of free trade and rising consumerism, women are faced with many challenges both economically, socially and politically. For instance, women do more than sixty percent of the global labor, but they receive and own little of the proceeds (Robbins, 1999). Nevertheless, this group is also set to benefit from the ongoing changes in myriad ways.
The Effects of Globalization on Women
Women have intensely been affected by the outcomes of globalization. In its complexity, globalization brings about both advantages and disadvantages to women. In developing countries, women face hardships on cultural, political and economic grounds. In fact, it has been claimed that most women in the global south have no access to economic fairness, social equality, and good governance. According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) report, for more than twenty years, the process of globalization has expanded the gap of women’s access to equality. The universalization of human rights also seems to benefit the Western countries more than the developing countries. In most instances, the implications of globalization are more dangerous than safe to women (Butale, 2015)
The Positive Effects of Globalization on Women
Globalization has resulted in unprecedented commercial progress in many countries. In the developing world, for instance, many nations experience a deficit of capital to make investments in the major sectors of the economy. This shortage makes these economies import less compared to developed nations. In the wake of globalization, this challenge has been extensively addressed by globalization (Bacchus, 2005). In addition to boosting the cooperation among countries, it has allowed more access to different goods, services and knowledge. These changes have significant impacts on the advancement of women’s welfare. For instance, more women than ever before have access to capital and other necessary resources, and can, therefore, carry out business at the global level. In this respect, women can now access and enjoy their civil rights in a world where they faced cultural domination.
Globalization has numerous positive impacts on women. For many years, women were subject to oppressive cultures and ways of life (Subhalakshmi, 2012). In light of the growing globalization, there has been enhanced women access to social equity. In countries, especially in the developing world, where women lacked constitutional rights, the globalization of human rights and activism has resulted in legal reforms. In India for instance, the efforts of Malala Yousafzai’s advocacy for women have resulted in significant changes to the treatment of women in the country. This has been occasioned by calls from the global community to address the issue. Globalization, therefore, gives women the platform to speak against anything that derides their value. Gender equality has been an issue for a long time. The triumph of the battle to promote gender equity and get it incorporated in various legislations is yet another advantage of globalization.
In the world today, especially in the global south where cultural oppression has been rampant, many women hold leadership positions. In Kenya, for example, there is a constitutional provision to have a women representative from every county to sit in the Parliament. Likewise, legislation has been passed requiring women to hold a two-third majority in the national assembly. It was unlikely before the global revolution for women to hold senior administrative positions in government and other bodies. Giving women equal opportunities to lead and legislate is a clear mark of progress in the whole world. Recently, in the 2016 U.S election, the Democratic Party’s flagbearer was a woman. Hillary Clinton’s popularity and support in the just concluded elections exemplifies the cultural, social and political shift that has taken place globally. Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, is currently one of the most powerful stateswomen globally. Based on such examples, women feel encouraged by other women in the leadership position and view them as role models (Chhibber, 2009). This shift indicates that women are longer just consumers of the rules and discourses advanced by men but rather core partners in their formulation.
Moreover, thanks to globalization, many strides have been made by women in the quest for economic, social and political freedom. For instance, women themselves lead many of the civil movements fighting for gender equality, environmental conservation, and human rights. The recent strike by young female students in South Africa, in what they termed racial discrimination is an indicator the power of women in fighting ongoing social ills cannot be overstated. While the students were protesting against racial discrimination of their natural hair, the global response and support validated the power of globalization. Due to globalization, therefore, there is a change of roles. Women are no longer dependents in administration and in advancing challenging discourses, but rather they can also take up leadership roles (Chhibber, 2009). Globalization brought a sense of belonging, worthiness and freedom to women, and a result their liberation from many political, social and cultural prisons took place.
With regard to occupation, women now can take up non-household jobs and offices. This is unlike in the past times when they were subject to various cultural constraints. Communication and free trade have brought in many companies, and organizations closer home. The opportunities posed by this benefit not only men but also women, who have now become a significant part of the global workforce. With the availability of these opportunities, women can now also keep non-household jobs and contribute to national building. Additionally, income from such jobs grants women their freedom and independence (Chhibber, 2009). In many cultures, women previously worked so hard with little pay or no ownership of the produce. However, through globalization and free trade, women can now earn their money and make independent choices free from any manipulation. By promoting the independence of women, globalization has enhanced equality between the genders. It is right therefore right to acknowledge that globalization has the power to get rid of oppressive cultures and traditions. Women now can enjoy the fruits of social equality, financial freedom, and justice. In the towns and cities, women have become more self-reliant both financially and socially. Consequently, there is a significant shift in the way household relations are currently defined. For instance, the role of providing for the family is not only meant for the men but also women.
Traditionally, many women were required to take care of the household and children. Their primary jobs were cooking, farming, and raising children. This distorted the men’s perception of women roles, and due to globalization, men are now under siege. In many regions, women are investing in their enterprises and thus gaining the advantage of experiencing freedom (Chhibber, 2009). Also, the ever growing needs arising from the dominant culture of consumerism has changed their focus. With households needs increasing, women also have to work to help meet those requirements. The quest to acquire and live a lifestyle drives more and more women out of their homes for work. Moreover, globalization has enabled households to appreciate the efforts of women.
The number of women’s social groups who help in addressing common problems is currently increasing. Their conviction that they have the power and supportive constitutional rights to speak and contribute solutions to societal problems has made women more audible in the official circles. Women’s social groups work hand in hand with Non-Governmental organizations (NGOs) such as the United Nations (UN) among others to address the problems they face. In developing countries, women are known to spearhead most of the conservation efforts (Chhibber, 2009; Bacchus, 2005). Well-known for their dependence on forests for fuel and food, they collaborate with NGOs to develop local solutions to challenges of deforestation. This also empowers them to develop social enterprises that generate income while addressing global environmental challenges.
The mushrooming of organizations in local areas, thanks to globalization, give women access to knowledge that they lacked before (Chhibber, 2009). With this free knowledge, women are taught to use their crafting, cooking, and farming skills to develop small scale businesses and earn income. Young girls are empowered against the odds of the oppressive cultures to choose education instead. Through education, the girls can fully understand their rights and help other girls, and the society as a whole. It is therefore through globalization that advocacy for gender equality and women’s access to education bore fruits. Young girls were denied the right to go to school because of poor governance and values. Today, girls can go to schools just like their male counterparts. Through education, the development process is made open even to women. A report submitted to the United Nations Economic and Social Council’s Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights agrees that the impacts of globalization on women are ‘most telling’. Women, like never before, have entered ‘the workforce in large numbers.'
On the other hand, the increased access to technology has benefited women immensely. For instance, women who lacked access to information due to distance can now get it from the comfort of their phones and computers. Internet access and mobile phones assist women in marketing their products and services. Through training offered in programs managed by various stakeholders, women can now utilize technology in their day to day activities. Further, access to critical information relevant to women allows them to understand their civil rights and privileges as outlined in their respective constitutions and other policy documents.
Negative Effects of Globalization on Women
Despite the many advantages arising from globalization, the negative effects are still numerous. The truth is that some women benefit from the trends of globalization while others suffer. Some researchers hold the idea that globalization diffuses the ethics and values of equality for the female gender (Gray et al., 2006). They cite that many international organizations amass wealth by exploiting disadvantaged people, especially women. The increase of commercial empires exposes women to more harm than good, though imperceptibly noticed. Women do a lot of work in most of the world industries, but they own very little or nothing at all (Kaur, 2010). Thus, globalization is bound to create women slaves. The jobs created through globalization of transnational companies devalue the worth of women by paying them peanuts. In China, for instance, Apple has been accused of overworking and underpaying its workers, key among them being women. Likewise, there is a massive gender wage gap existing, putting women on the lowest side of the salary scale (Oostendorp, 2009). Most of the work available to women has poor monetary returns in addition to being mentally and physically unhealthy (Kaur, 2010). It is based on such a scenario that women in Iceland to strike by leaving work at 2.38 P.M on Monday, 24th October 2016. In this country, the average annual income gap 30% meaning that for every dollar earned by a man, a woman makes 72 cents. This exemplifies the downside of globalization.
In addition to women receiving slave wages, most of the domestic responsibilities are placed on them. It is right to say that women have two jobs, and work full time in both. The first job is in commercial empires and sweat shops where they are paid almost nothing while the second in their homes where they are paid nothing. In many regions, improvement for poor women in the society pushes men to cities. The merging of commercial exploitation and assimilation of western values dissolves the family and increases crimes like rape, domestic violence, and divorce, things which directly affect women (Batra, 1996).
Further, globalization has led to a shift of moral attitudes in developing countries, Copying the ways of the prosperous west results in harmful views towards women. Proliferating crimes against women is rampant through misuse of the avenues created by globalization (Kaur, 2010). Drug abuse, prostitution, and sexual harassment are some of the ills that arise from the storm of globalization. The threat posed by globalization stems from the fact that it exploits the disadvantaged, robs communities their cherished moral values and eventually distorts the bond between families. Due to the change of values, the older women suffer more, especially in the developed countries. As each and every young member of the family craves for employment in the established of local commercial firms, older women reside in nursing homes with little or no care at all. Young girls and women are also often subjected to sexual harassment at workplaces to earn promotions or wage increase. This devalues the as they get exploited and morally abused in pursuit of their dreams.
In conclusion, globalization has different effects on women. This is because, on the one hand, it harbors such positive developments as increased access to opportunities, gender equality, and democratic rights. However, on the contrary, it has also resulted in degradation of women’s moral values and mainstreamed such vices as rape, prostitution, drug abuse, and sexual harassment. At the workplace, women are subjected to poor working conditions, facing exploitation with small financial returns, while there is a significant wage gap between women and men. It is thus evident that while globalization has tremendous positive effects, it is detrimental in some instance, especially to women's wellbeing. Therefore, the challenge lies in finding ways of enhancing the positive effects of globalization and reducing the adverse ones. This is because it is only then that globalization can be said to be a sustainable venture.
References
Bacchus, N. (2005). The Effects of Globalization on Women in Developing Nations. Pace University Digital Commons@Pace.
Batra, S. (1996). Social Strains of Globalization in India.
Butale, C. (2015, March 30). Globalization and its impact on women in developing countries and its impact on women in developing countries . Retrieved November 18, 2016, from IAPSS: http://www.iapss.org/2015/03/30/globalization-and-its-impact-on-women-in-developing-countries/
Chhibber, B. (2009, May 13). Globalisation and its Impact on Women: A Critical Assessment . Retrieved November 18, 2016, from Mainstream Weekly: https://www.mainstreamweekly.net/article1351.html
Gray, M. M., Kittilson, M. C., & Sandholtz, W. (2006). Women and Globalization: A Study of 180 Countries, 1975-2000. International Organization, 60 (2), 293-333.
Kaur, H. (2010). The Impact of Globalization on Women in India. Andra Pradesh.
Oostendorp, R. H. (2009). Globalization and Gender Wage Gap. The World Bank Economic Review, 23 (1), 141-161.
Robbins, R. H. (1999). Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism. Allyn and Bacon.
Subhalakshmi, G. (2012, June 6). Impact of Globalization on Women Workers in India . Retrieved November 18, 2016, from Impower.org: http://www.impowr.org/journal/impact-globalization-women-workers-india
