Issue IV : February-April 2008
This issue of Gender and Trade Newsletter comes at the time which marks the beginning of the mid-term assessment of the target for achieving the MDGs. Various international and national debates centre around this and in spite the fact that many developing countries are yet to reach the coveted position in the development index there is a solace which comes from the increasing acknowledgement that human development is crucial for sustaining economic growth. While governments pledge to join hands towards equitable development the Concluding Declaration of the UNCTAD XII, Accra Ghana kindles the aspirations of the millions who also deserve the best.
The current issue is an initiative to review the impact of trade liberalization on women as emphasis on inclusive growth and improvement of labour market condition remains the concern of the development paradigm today. The content covers the major outcome of the UNCTAD XII which addresses the modalities of ensuring trade oriented development solutions. The summary of the UNIFEM discussion paper “Financing Gender Equality is Financing Development” talks about gender oriented public expenditure to tackle poverty, unemployment and inequality. The issue also carries the interview of Christa Wichterich, an expert in trade and gender. She brings to the forefront the main challenges in mainstreaming gender in the liberalisation programme especially in trade agreements. A brief tariff profile of Commonwealth Nations is also included. This analysis goes beyond the simple average of tariff rates and identified different ranges of tariff brackets and the extent of non-ad valorem rates in different countries. These are useful information to evaluate the extent of liberalistaion among Commonwealth Nations.
The current issue is an initiative to review the impact of trade liberalization on women as emphasis on inclusive growth and improvement of labour market condition remains the concern of the development paradigm today. The content covers the major outcome of the UNCTAD XII which addresses the modalities of ensuring trade oriented development solutions. The summary of the UNIFEM discussion paper “Financing Gender Equality is Financing Development” talks about gender oriented public expenditure to tackle poverty, unemployment and inequality. The issue also carries the interview of Christa Wichterich, an expert in trade and gender. She brings to the forefront the main challenges in mainstreaming gender in the liberalisation programme especially in trade agreements. A brief tariff profile of Commonwealth Nations is also included. This analysis goes beyond the simple average of tariff rates and identified different ranges of tariff brackets and the extent of non-ad valorem rates in different countries. These are useful information to evaluate the extent of liberalistaion among Commonwealth Nations.
