Women’s Role In the Banana Export Sector

A lobby paper produced by CAFRA – “Women of the Windward Islands: their stake in the banana export sector” – was a crucial regional document contributing to the debate on whether or not Windward Islands bananas should have preferential treatment.

The Paper was circulated widely in the region and was presented to the Meeting of the Association of Caribbean States, held in the Dominican Republic, April 17-18, 1999. It took the banana issue beyond a mere fight for market access to a consideration of the gender perspective – the economic hardship faced by women.

The Paper was based on a survey CAFRA conducted among a sample of rural women in 1998 to assess their living conditions, as a result of the banana crisis. Responses from 200 households revealed that living conditions of women had worsened over the last five years, due to loss of income from the banana industry.

As an immediate intervention strategy, CAFRA is currently working with the communities surveyed to identify and implement alternative means of sustainable livelihoods.

The Lobby Paper has also cemented a role for CAFRA in the negotiating process for the Lome Convention. This process is being carried forward through the Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC) and the Caribbean Reference Group on Trade.