EPAs Impact on African Women
Publication Date:The gender stereotypes that plaque Africa are a key reason for the disempowerment, marginalisation and limitations of women as their basic rights are still regulated through repressive legislation, policies and societal norms. To add on to these issues are the global injustices faced by developing countries in light of the global systems, structures and policies that determine the appropriation of local resources and priorities of developing countries. Africa has continuously signed international agreements that promote world market supplies "at the expense of food production for local consumption. The rules on market access, tariffs and subsidies severely limit the government's ability to protect domestic agricultural production were women preponderate" .
Such global trade rules have disempowered governments and usurped their capacity to fulfil their obligations to their citizens. This was evidenced by the impact of structural adjustment programs that Sub Sahara Africa adopted (in the 1990s which now the World Bank concedes were bad for Africa) and is still reeling from. African governments, men and women have since learnt that global initiatives and policies that are not informed by their experiences can change their economic, social and even political status to the extent of determining if there is food on the table, what kind and how much of it. They have brought even more economic hardships to communities and during such times "women often assume the burden of adjustment. They absorb the shocks to household welfare" by subsidising the state and "expanding their already stretched working day, often to the detriment of their own health and nutrition" . Despite all this and more, women are not found in decision and policy making platforms that guide the food sovereignty agenda of their countries including areas of foreign and trade policies that determine bilateral and multilateral partnerships and agreements.
The current trade negotiations, the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), which are taking place between the European Union (EU) and Africa Caribbean Pacific (ACP) countries are of a similar nature. They will have a significant impact on country economies, agricultural and economic sectors which precipitate to household practical everyday realities. It is thus important to introspectively reflect how EPAs will impact on our societies and more importantly show how they impact on women and gender relations should they get adopted.