A Study On The Impacts Of International Trade On Gender Equality In Ghana

Although women make up half of the world’s population and over 40 percent of the global labour force,gender inequality is still prevailing.The formal commitment of the United Nations and the World Bank to achieve men’s and women’s equality is crucial to addressing the challenges of development and poverty.However,gender equality is worsened by globalization,in which private actors such as multinational companies play a controversial role.On the other hand,international trade and in particular Global Value Chain(GVC)related trade in sectors such as apparel,agriculture,and electronics,has generated significant female and male employment,offering many women and men their first chance for waged employment,thereby promoting gender quality and improved wellbeing of women and men.However,though the economic imperative is clear,the gender implications of this strategic shift are unclear.This study explores the impact of international trade on gender equality in Ghana.The main goal was to find out the relative opportunities for men and women in international trade and in specific trade sectors.One hundred and twenty(120)respondents were selected across 7regions of Ghana using simple random sampling approach to answer a questionnaire lasting about 20 minutes.Following that Fifty two(52)respondents were selected using snowballing and purposive sampling approach for face-to-face in-depth interviews lasting about 1 hour.The study revealed a majority of female respondents traded in apparel/textiles.Women also dominated in most of the areas of trade except for trading in building materials and electronic appliances.China emerged as the country from which most of the imports were from with the least of imports coming from Brazil.Of the many challenges enumerated by respondents the challenge faced was dealing with the payment of high taxes and rising cost of fuel.Although the majority of respondents were females,men expressed feeling the impact of these challenges the most.On the whole,women traders reported to have made the most significant contribution across all the domains,with employment creation being the largest single contribution representing 32.5%.The study also revealed that concerning gains made through international trading,women gained the most as they reported major gains,especially being able to cater for their children and family and gaining financial independence.The study,therefore,concludes that despites challenges with international trade,its positive impact on the lives of both men and women cannot be over emphasized since it has led to creating job opportunities for all men and women in Ghana,and generally improving the lives of both men and women and their families as well.The study,therefore,recommends that women empowerment strategies should not only focus on ensuring that both men and women are active participants in international trade,but are also active in the policy decision-making process.