Mitch Teberg, MA

Associate Member

Journey for Fair Trade:

Longwe’s Women’s Empowerment

Framework

Longwe’s Women’s Empowerment Framework

Control Empowerment seeks a balance of power between women and men, so that
neither is in a position of dominance. It means that women have power
↑ alongside men to influence their destiny and that of their society. In Longwe’s
↑ view, empowerment is an inter-connected cycle of countering discrimination and
oppression. Addressing the roots of inequality at one level leads to a discussion
↑ about all of the other levels. Empowerment takes place as individual women and
groups of women move between levels, gaining strength along the way.
↑
Empowerment occurs in the Process of Social Change
 Mitch Teberg, MA
Associate Member

Participation / The individual woman in the home is not likely to make much progress in
Mobilization challenging traditional norms – Power expands in numbers and connection.
Mobilization is therefore the fourth and crucial stage of empowerment, which
↑ enables the collective analysis of gender issues, and the collective commitment
↑ to action. Mobilization is largely concerned with redefining participation in
decision making, as participation of a mobilized group will spark the search for
↑ empowerment at yet another level. In development projects, it includes
involvement in needs assessment, project design, implementation and
↑ evaluation.
Social Change occurs with mobilization!!!
Conscientisation Here an understanding of the difference between sex roles and gender roles
comes into force with the belief that gender relations and the gender division of
↑ labour should be fair and agreeable to both sides, and not based on the
↑ domination of one over the other. Access now pertains to women’s access to
factors of production, land, labour, credit, training, marketing facilities, and all
↑ publicly available services and benefits - on an equal basis with men. Equality of
access is obtained by securing equality of opportunity through legal reform to
↑ remove discriminatory provisions.
↑ Social Change is on the agenda!
Access The gender gap at the welfare level results from inequality of access to
opportunity, information, and other resources. Empowerment means that women
↑ are 1) made aware of the gap and 2) animated to take actions for gaining access
↑ to their fair and equal share of the various resources available within the
household, and within the wider system of state provision. Action here takes
↑ women automatically to the next level.
Welfare At this base level work views women as passive recipients and welfare pertains
--------- to the level of material welfare of women, relative to men, with respect to food
supply, income and medical care, without reference to whether women are
themselves the active creators and producers of their material needs. This level
is not sustainable nor does it empower women.

Empowerment takes place as individual women and groups of women move between levels,
gaining strength along the way; Empowerment occurs in the Process of Social Change.
Now, review Fair Trade Principles locate them on this matrix with Longwe’s Framework and we
can see exactly how Fair Trade can function utilizing a Rights-Based Approach:
Longwe’s Women’s
Empowerment Framework
Empowerment seeks a balance
of power between women and
men, so that neither is in a
position of dominance. It means
that women have power
alongside men to influence their
destiny and that of their society.
Women’s collective analysis of
gender issues, and the collective
commitment to action.
Redefining participation in
decision making, as
participation of a mobilized group
will spark the search for
empowerment at yet another
level
Understanding of the difference
between sex roles and gender
roles; division of labour should be
fair and agreeable to both sides,
and not based on the domination
of one over the other. Access
now pertains to women’s access
to factors of production, land,
labour, credit, training,
marketing facilities, and all
publicly available services and
benefits - on an equal basis with
men.
Mitch Teberg, MA
Associate Member
Fair Trade Principle
Control Principle 6: The organization actively
promotes applications from women for job
vacancies and for leadership positions
Participation Principle 6: Women fully participate in
decisions concerning the use of benefits
accruing from the production process; The
organization respects the right of all
employees to form and join trade unions of
their choice and to bargain collectively.
Principle 2: The organization finds
appropriate, participatory ways to involve
employees, members and producers in its
decision-making processes.
Principle 4: A fair price is one that has
been mutually agreed by all through
dialogue and participation; equal pay for
equal work by women and men.
Conscientisation Principle 6: The organization provides
opportunities for women and men to
develop their skills; in production situations
where women's work is valued less highly
than men's work, women's work is re-
valued to equalize pay rates and women
are allowed to undertake work according to
their capacities.
Principle 8: The organization develops the
skills and capabilities of its own employees
or members; Organizations working directly
with small producers develop specific
activities to help these producers improve
their management skills, production
capabilities and access to markets
Principle 3: (When a pre-payment is
received) from buyers, (the organization)
ensure that this payment is passed on to

Empowerment means that
women are 1) made aware of
the gap and 2) animated to take
actions for gaining access to
their fair and equal share
The gender gap at the welfare
level results from inequality of
access to opportunity,
information, and other resources
Mitch Teberg, MA © 2011
International Consultant
Sustainable Development / Fair Trade / Women’s Rights and Gender
Researcher / Trainer / Consultant
www.journeyforfairtrade.blogspot.com
Posted on:
http://journeyforfairtrade.blogspot.com/2011/11/womens-empowerment-and-fair-trade.html
Mitch Teberg, MA
Associate Member
the producers or farmers who make or
grow their Fair Trade products.
Access Principle 6: The organization does not
discriminate (regardless of) gender or
sexual orientation; The organization takes
into account the special health and safety
needs of pregnant women and breast-
feeding mothers.
Welfare Principle 1: The organization supports
marginalized small producers… it seeks to
enable them to move from income
insecurity and poverty to economic self-
sufficiency and ownership.
Principle 6: Organizations working directly
with producers ensure that women are
always paid for their contribution to the
production process, and when women do
the same work as men they are paid at the
same rates as men.