Women's Edge Launches The Trade Impact Review; New Tool Urges Trade Policy Makers to "Look FIRST" before Leaping into Intl Trade Policies

2/25/2003

From: Ana Rahona of Women's EDGE, 202-884-8399 or arahona@womensedge.org

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 -- Women's Edge, a bi-partisan coalition that works with the U.S. Government to advocate international economic and human rights policies that support women worldwide, today launched the Trade Impact Review. The groundbreaking new tool analyzes the impact of trade in developing countries and throughout the United States and with the information generated, policy makers can propose measures to address unintended, negative consequences before they happen. The Trade Impact Review is the centerpiece of Women's Edge "Look FIRST" (Full Impact Review and Screening of Trade) Campaign.

Overview Trade policies produce changes in employment, price, income, and consumption patterns, which affect men and women differently. The Trade Impact Review identifies new trade rules, safeguards, and parallel programs (such as trade adjustment assistance) that can reverse or avert negative impacts on the poor and women and forecast areas where they stand to gain.

"Because women face different issues then men, such as motherhood and labor market segregation, they are affected differently in trade agreements," said Elise Smith, Co-Founder and President of the board, Women's Edge. "Recent trade agreements have left many women mired in poverty, and in many cases, increased women's workloads and exacerbated existing inequalities."

With trade agreements becoming more prevalent, both trade negotiators and the people of developing countries are looking to make them work better for everyone involved. Women's Edge developed the Trade Impact Review in collaboration with a team of economists, lawyers and social scientists, to be the first tool that allows trade policy makers to see the full picture of possible results trade agreements produce for the poorest people. Unlike traditional methods, the Trade Impact Review benefits both the trade policy makers and the poorest people in developing countries.

There is a Better Way Traditionally it has been said the link between trade and its unintended consequences cannot be proven due to complex social processes and therefore, it is not the role of trade agreements to fix them. However, with the Trade Impact Review, light can be shed on the links between trade policies and their impact both socially and economically.

By better predicting areas of need and potential problems, policy makers can craft policies that enhance areas where there are gains and mitigate areas where there are losses for women created by liberalized trade and allow increased investments in poor people and women's basic needs.

"Trade liberalization is widely prescribed by national governments and international agencies as a strategy to promote growth, however, in order to avoid any unintended consequences, careful analysis is required of the costs and benefits to women and their families in the United States and among our trading partners in developing countries," said Ritu Sharma, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Women's Edge. "Failure to examine how trade affects the poorest people and include rules and safeguards to aid them, means that current trade and investment agreements are failing. We believe trade can work - but the proper procedures need to be put into place."

How it Works The Trade Impact Review calls for the U.S. Government to establish a standing inter-agency council led by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to conduct the review in conjunction with other relevant agencies such as the Department of Labor, Health and Human Sciences (HHS) and the State Department. It involves a more inclusive research process than is traditionally done, allowing a broad range of women, development, and international stakeholders in the process.

An in-depth survey, the Trade Impact Review gathers academic research from experts at Universities, the Government, the United Nations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), both domestically and in-country. The tool examines the agriculture, manufacturing, services industries and the public, the informal and the home-based sectors. Also examined is the impact of trade agreements on investment relevant to manufacturing and services, intellectual property rights, domestic regulation, labor standards, human rights and social protection.

"The Trade Impact Review fills a long-standing need, providing a concrete tool with clear processes to measure the likely impacts of trade agreements," added Smith. "By building awareness on global trade issues that impact women and their local communities, responsible trade can become a reality."

Testing the Trade Impact Review Working collaboratively with women's organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean, Women's Edge will be developing case studies to test the Impact Review and demonstrate the more educated decisions that negotiators and policy makers can make.

About Women's EDGE Women's EDGE, a bipartisan coalition created in 1998, advocates with the U.S. Government for international economic and human right policies that support women worldwide in ending poverty in their lives, communities and nations. The organization offers positive alternatives to current trade policies and pushes for pioneering aid programs that benefit both trade promoters and the poorest people. Women's EDGE has researched and developed several initiatives including the GAINS for Womens and Girls Act and the Trade Impact Review. For more information visit www.womensedge.org.