E CONOMIC E MPOWERMENT OF H OME -B ASED W OMEN E NTREPRENEURS : A C ASE S TUDY OF F ISH P ROCESSORS IN C AMBODIA Committee: Dr. Kyoko Kusakabe (Chairperson)

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF HOME-BASED WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS: A CASE STUDY OF

FISH PROCESSORS IN CAMBODIA

Committee: Dr. Kyoko Kusakabe (Chairperson)

Prof. Jayant Kumar Routray

Dr. Philippe Doneys

Presented by: Chea Pisey

Scholarship Donor: DAAD

May 17th, 2010

School of Environment, Resources and DevelopmentGender and Development Studies

Asian Institute of Technology

PROBLEM STATEMENT Does promoting women’s economic activities contribute to

women’s empowerment?

Some researchers argue that women’s participation in economic activities and access to income alone do not lead to empowering women in household.

For home-based women fish processors in Cambodia there are different degrees and limitations in their empowerment in

the household why is this so?

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

1. To identify the commodity chain of processed fish in Cambodia and how men and women are placed in the chain

2. To analyze the relationship of different actors in the nodes and terms of trade which is determined by gender identities and relations

3. To assess the strategies of home-based women fish processors for negotiating their power relations in the chain for securing raw material, labor and market.

4. To assess the extent of economic empowerment of home-based women fish processors in households affected by their participation in the economic activities

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Negotiation Power (market, labor, raw

material)

Gender Relation in Governance Structure of Commodity Chain Gender Relation in Household

Business performance of women fish processors

Gender Division of Labor in production

Term of trade & their relationship

Women fish processors position in household

Access and Control over resources Decision-Making

Division of Labor in Household

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Type of Research

Descriptive and exploratory research Study Areas

Preaek Sramaoch and Wat Pou village were selected. Data Collection method

Secondary data: Journal articles, books, reports etc. Primary data:

Reconnaissance survey Key-informant interview In-depth Interview: 10 market-based women fish

processors and 15 family-based fish makers were interviewed.

Household Survey: 13 market-based fish paste processors and 52 women family-based makers were chosen.

Observation

Data Analysis

How women fish processors are positioned in the processed fish chain?

Fish Paste (Market-Based Enterprise)Semi-Processed Fish (Family-Based Enterprise)

Fish paste (510 Riel/kg) is more profitable than semi-processed fish (150 Riel/kg)

Figure 3: Fish Paste and Semi-Processed Fish Chain

Exporter in Poipet Market

Retailer

Middleman(Outsider) Wholesaler

Middlemen (Insider)

Semi-processed fish makers

Fish Paste processor (Preaek

Sramoach)

Middlemen

Collector

Fish Paste processor (In Wat

Pou)

Family’s members

Neighbors Fisher

Middleman (outside

province)

Retailer (Siem Reap)

Middleman (Mobile)

Exporter

Thai Client

Middlemen (Stall-based)

Note: _____ the activities are currently practiced --------- the activity is temporarily stopped

TERMS OF TRADE AND POSITION OF WOMEN FISH PROCESSORS IN THE MARKET (1)

Both family-based and market-based women fish processors are both marginalized in the market. They gain the least profit and have low bargaining power, comparing to other actors.

Yet family-based women fish processors have lower bargaining power than market-based women processors.

Family-based women fish processors Few sources of raw material suppliers. The market is linear with only one market’s choice, allow a

particular group to take control on the market. The product cannot be stored for more than a day. The market is secure, but they are completely dependent.

TERMS OF TRADE AND POSITION OF WOMEN FISH PROCESSORS IN THE MARKET (2)

Market-based women fish processors More sources of raw material suppliers. There more market’s choices for the products. Their products can be stored for a year, so they

can look for various buyers and have stable supply through the year.

But, the market is not secure.

Are women fish processors empowered because of their contribution to family from their fish processing enterprises?

Level of Women’s Contribution to Family

Percentage of Income

Types of productionTotal

FBE MBE

0-25%14

(26.9%) -14

(21.5%)

26-50%34

(65.4%)2

(15.4%)36

(55.4%)

51-75%2

(3.8%)5

(38.5%)7

(10.8%)

76-100%2

(3.8%)6

(46.2%)8

(12.3%)

Total52

(100%)13

(100%)65

(100%)

Percentage of Income

Types of productionTotal

FBE MBE

0-25%4

(7.7%)8

(61.5%)12

(18.5%)

26-50%11

21.2%5

38.5%16

(24.6%)

51-75%33

(63.5%) -33

(50.8%)

76-100%4

(7.7%) -4

(6.2%)

Total52

(100%)13

(100%)65

(100%)

Income from fish processing and other sources of income from women

Income from men

Note: FBE: Family-Based Enterprises, MBE: Market Based-Enterprises

ACCESS TO AND CONTROL OVER INCOME

Access to Income Women are the keepers of family’s finance regardless of their

level of income. Their role of keeping money attaches other role to women as

housewife ensuring household basic need. Decision-Making over Expenditure

This role in managing money gives women power to decide independently regarding daily food and other small expenditures (less than 31.7 USD).

However, large expenditure is decided jointly by women and men.

Market-based women fish processors have more decision-making power than family-based processors in the household. Yet, their decision-making power remains limited.

Decision-Making over Business Investment There were 84.6% of family-based processors making decision

on their business investment, while there were only 69.2% among market-based fish processors.

Gender Division of Labor in Production

Access to and Control over Resources

Women have access to labor, land and credit. Land: 87.5% of land certificates were jointly registered

under women’s and men’s name. Credit: women and men are entitle to formal and

informal credit. Usually, borrowing formal credit is done jointly by women and men

However, it is not clear whether women’s access to these resources stems from their position in household because of their business.

Women’s control over resource (credit) depend on their decision-making power in household.

Gender Division of Labor in Household

Household Activities

Women Men Women and MenTotal

FBE MBE FBE MBE FBE MBE

Cooking 

40(76.92%)

9(69.23%)

- -12

(23.08%)4

(30.77%)65

(100%)

Washing dishes 

37(71.15%)

9(69.23%)

- -15

(28.85%)4

(30.77%)65

(100%)

Washing clothes 

35(67.31%)

7(53.85%)

- -17

(32.69%)6

(46.15%)65

(100%)

Food Shopping 

52(100%)

13(100%)

- - - -65

(100%)

Collecting firewood 

16(30.77%)

3(23.07%)

14(26.92%)

7(53.86%)

22(42.31%)

3(23.07%)

65(100%)

Fetching water 

19(36.54%)

4(30.76%)

11(21.15%)

3(23.09%)

22(42.31%)

6(46.15%)

65(100%)

Looking after children

30(57.69%)

7(53.85%)

- -22

(42.31%)6

(46.15%)65

(100%)

Note: FBE: Family-Based Enterprises, MBE: Market Based-Enterprises

Gender division of labor in household

CONCLUSION The commodity chain analysis showed that women fish

processors are in a position where they have less bargaining power.

Family-based processors are in a weaker position when compared to market-based processors because of its limitation in both procurement and market.

Although they, especially the market-based processors are contributing large part of the household income, this is not necessarily strengthening their decision-making power in household, and has not changed the gender division of labor. The amount of income does not change gender relations. Why? Their work are seen as support to men’s occupation. They are not independent. The traditional role of men as head of family. The nature of their work based at home.