Enhancing women's market access and promoting pro-poor growth

Abstract

This USAID document supports an inclusive growth strategy that benefits the poor by providing opportunities, increasing incomes, improving skills, and upgrading their livelihoods. Women are a significant contributing group to economies; nevertheless women still face constraints accessing the market. The gender division of labor, gender norms, and sex-segregated markets lead to inefficient growth and losses in productivity. To ensure greater equity in terms of gender, class, caste etc, projects must facilitate free flow of information, and facilitate access to labor markets for women. There are still many variables retaining women as a vulnerable group, and facing difficulties accessing credit, market goods, services, and markets. The controversy rests on when to use women-centered only programs or systematic gender integrations followed by gender analysis of unequal access and powers. Which of these should be used when? The document recommends using a gender analysis approach to develop programs, to identify opportunities for women's participation, and to promote networking and group formation. Women's groups can increase opportunities to access markets, credit and services.