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Gender and Covid-19: Workers in global value chains

Author

Listed:
  • Sheba Tejani

    (Studley Graduate Program in International Affairs, The New School)

  • Sakiko Fukuda-Parr

    (Studley Graduate Program in International Affairs, The New School)

Abstract

This paper presents a framework to analyse the gendered impact of Covid-19 on workers in global value chains, illustrating the channels of transmission using the business process outsourcing, garments and electronics industries. Keeping the wellbeing of workers as a central focus, we analyse the impacts of the pandemic through health effects and lockdown measures. Our gendered analysis of these pathways focuses on multi-dimensional aspects of well-being, understands the economy as encompassing both production and social reproduction spheres, and examines the social norms and structures of power that produce gender inequalities. As the pandemic accelerates automation in GVCs, we also examine the likely consequences for women workers who are expected to lose out as a result. The paper argues that the pandemic exposes and amplifies the existing vulnerabilities of women workers in GVCs. The distinctive nature of the pandemic is likely to alter the course of the GVC model with its effects on labour varying by industry, geography, and the structural position of workers.

Suggested Citation

  • Sheba Tejani & Sakiko Fukuda-Parr, 2021. "Gender and Covid-19: Workers in global value chains," Working Papers 2104, New School for Social Research, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:new:wpaper:2104
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    File URL: http://www.economicpolicyresearch.org/econ/2021/NSSR_WP_042021.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mariya Brussevich & Ms. Era Dabla-Norris & Christine Kamunge & Pooja Karnane & Salma Khalid & Ms. Kalpana Kochhar, 2018. "Gender, Technology, and the Future of Work," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 2018/007, International Monetary Fund.
    2. Chang, Jae-Hee. & Huynh, Phu., 2016. "ASEAN in transformation the future of jobs at risk of automation," ILO Working Papers 994906463402676, International Labour Organization.
    3. Sturgeon, Timothy J. & Kawakami, Momoko, 2010. "Global value chains in the electronics industry : was the crisis a window of opportunity for developing countries ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5417, The World Bank.
    4. Barrientos,Stephanie, 2019. "Gender and Work in Global Value Chains," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781108492317.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sheba TEJANI & Sakiko FUKUDA‐PARR, 2021. "Gender and COVID‐19: Workers in global value chains," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 160(4), pages 649-667, December.
    2. Dorothea HOEHTKER, 2022. "Historical perspectives on the International Labour Review 1921–2021: A century of research on the world of work," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 161(4), pages 12-48, December.
    3. Aymen Sajjad & Gabriel Eweje, 2021. "The COVID-19 Pandemic: Female Workers’ Social Sustainability in Global Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-14, November.
    4. Kanchana N Ruwanpura, 2023. "Frayed social safety: Social networks, stigma, and COVID-19 – The case of Sri Lankan garment workers," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 41(7), pages 1317-1332, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender; Covid-19; global value chains; BPO; electronics; garments; framework; automation; supply disruption; demand contraction;
    All these keywords.

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