Gender and Trade

Globally, there is rising concern about the impact of international trade and specifically of new arrangements under the WTO and the FTAA. Regionally, there has been negative impact on livelihoods, evidenced among other things by the loss of the preferential market for bananas from the Caribbean. It is therefore necessary to conduct specific research on issues areas – agriculture, services, textiles, tourism and investment.
CAFRA began research on the impact of trade policies on agriculture can services, and on gender indicators for use by policy makers and the community itself. The aim of the research is to influence policy and mobilize women in communities to speak for themselves. CAFRA’s Economic Literacy Manual “The Dragon Waits” is a useful training tool for community workshops. CAFRA participate in the WTO and FTAA Ministerial in Cancun, Mexico and Miami, USA respectively.
A regional workshop held in St Vincent and the Grenadines during June 2003, brought together a cross section of CAFRA membership, other researchers, local activists and farmers. The workshop renewed research reports on the negative impact of trade policies and coping strategies, including the search for alternative crops.