UNIDO BACKGROUND GUIDE - IMUNA
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UNIDO BACKGROUND GUIDE
Email: info@imuna.org
Phone: +1 (212) 652-9992
Web: www.nhsmun.nyc
Secretary-General Dear Delegates,
Ankita Bhat
I am excited to welcome you to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization
Director-General
(UNIDO) for the 2022 NHSMUN Conference! My name is Carlotta Invrea-Lizcano, and I’m
Kathy Li
originally from Los Angeles. I’m a sophomore at Johns Hopkins, double majoring in Public Health
Chiefs of Staff and International Studies. Outside of class, I am also the USG of Standing for our own Model
Jon Basile UN conference, JHUMUNC, and I am involved with our mock trial team. I am also the chair of
Abolee Raut marketing for the International Studies Leadership Council, a club that serves as the liaison between
Conference Services faculty and alumni and students of the international studies department at Hopkins. Some of my
Hugo Bordas favorite things to do are hanging out with my friends, binging Netflix, painting (although I am not
Sofía Fuentes very good at it), and traveling.
Delegate Experience
I am so excited to be back as NHSMUN staff, having served as Assistant Director for the
Akanksha Sancheti
Beatriz Circelli Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC) last year for the NHSMUN 2021
conference. Before joining NHSMUN staff my freshman year of college, I was involved with my
Global Partnerships
school’s Model UN team for all four years of high school in Los Angeles, CA. As a part of this high
Katherine Alcantara
school team, I attended NHSMUN 2018 as a delegate in ECOFIN. Being a part of MUN helped
Clare Steiner
me grow so much, and I learned about so many topics I would have otherwise never thought to
Under-Secretaries- research.
General
James Caracciolo This year, we carefully picked two relevant and multifaceted topics that we think would make the
Ana Margarita Gil best debate possible. The first topic, Empowering Women in Industry, examines an aspect of gender
Ming-May Hu equality in the workforce that is not discussed as often in my experience, which is the empowerment
Brandon Huetter
of women to pursue blue-collar jobs. The second topic, Pharmaceutical Production in Developing
Juliette Kimmins
Caleb Kuberiet Countries, looks at a different type of inequality between countries instead of between people.
Victor Miranda The topic, which has gained even more attention due to the recent pandemic, seeks to emphasize
Anikait Panikker the accessibility of life-saving medications for developing countries and the legal, scientific, and
Frances Seabrook political aspects behind it. Both these topics have been important in UNIDO’s recent agendas and
Sharon Tang discussions, which is why I am so excited to have these topics and see them debated in committee.
Kylie Watanabe
Sophia Zhukovsky I look forward to seeing you in committee and hearing all your wonderful ideas.
Sincerely,
Carlotta Invrea-Lizcano
carlotta.invrea-lizcano@imuna.org
UNIDO, Session I
Email: info@imuna.org
Phone: +1 (212) 652-9992
Web: www.nhsmun.nyc
Secretary-General Dear Delegates,
Ankita Bhat
It is with the utmost excitement that I welcome you to the United Nations Industrial Development
Director-General
Organization (UNIDO) at NHSMUN 2022! My name is Anika Banerjee, and I am a sophomore
Kathy Li
at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where I am studying biomedical engineering on the pre-
Chiefs of Staff health track. I am from Long Island, New York. Apart from Model United Nations, I am a part
Jon Basile of the Yellow Jacket Marching Band, where I play the alto saxophone and am a member of my
Abolee Raut collegiate, co-ed a cappella group called Infinite Harmony. I am also an undergraduate researcher
Conference Services for the Engineering Education department of Utah State University. I am working on a project that
Hugo Bordas analyzes the most effective learning styles for engineering and computer science students. In my
Sofía Fuentes free time, I love to explore Atlanta and New York, hang out with friends, re-watch Avatar: The Last
Delegate Experience Airbender, and have dance parties in my room.
Akanksha Sancheti
Beatriz Circelli I am overjoyed to be back as a NHSMUN staff member this year. During NHSMUN 2021, I
served as Assistant Director for the Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee (SOCHUM)
Global Partnerships
for Session II. In 2020, I was a delegate in the World Health Association (WHA) in Session I. In
Katherine Alcantara
addition, I participated in Model UN for all four years of high school, where I was Chair of Finances
Clare Steiner
in my junior year and Commissioner of Delegates in my senior year. However, the uniqueness of
Under-Secretaries- NHSMUN lies in the diversity of both its delegates, staff, and location. The experience of being
General
able to speak about pressing topics with people from a multitude of backgrounds in one of the
James Caracciolo
Ana Margarita Gil most culture-rich cities in the world is an amazing learning opportunity.
Ming-May Hu Our first topic is the Empowerment of Women in Industry, specifically the blue-collar sector.
Brandon Huetter
The topic examines how women are disadvantaged when trying to succeed in the male-dominated
Juliette Kimmins
Caleb Kuberiet blue-collar industry, ranging from cultural norms, education opportunities, and hostile work
Victor Miranda environments. The second topic is Pharmaceutical Production in Developing Countries, examining
Anikait Panikker how developing countries can increase their accessibility to important medications and services
Frances Seabrook to keep populations healthy. Both topics are important to attaining the Sustainable Development
Sharon Tang Goals (SDGs). I look forward to meeting you all, and if you have any questions, please feel free to
Kylie Watanabe reach out.
Sophia Zhukovsky
Sincerely,
Anika Banerjee
anika.banerjee@imuna.org
UNIDO, Session II
UNIDO 4| Table of Contents Table of Contents A Note on the NHSMUN Difference 5 A Note on Research and Preparation 7 Committee History 8 Empowering Women in Industry 9 Introduction10 History and Description of the Issue 11 Current Status 23 Bloc Analysis 28 Committee Mission 31 Pharmaceutical Production in Developing Countries 32 Introduction33 History & Description of the Issue 34 Current Status 44 Bloc Analysis 50 Committee Mission 53 Research and Preparation Questions 54 Important Documents 56 Works Cited 57
UNIDO
A Note on the NHSMUN Difference |5
A Note on the NHSMUN Difference
Esteemed Faculty and Delegates,
Welcome to NHSMUN 2022! My name is Kathy Li, and I am this year’s Director-General. Thank you for choosing to attend
NHSMUN, the world’s largest and most diverse Model United Nations conference for secondary school students. We are thrilled
to welcome you to New York City in March!
As a space for collaboration, consensus, and compromise, NHSMUN strives to transform today’s brightest thinkers into
tomorrow’s leaders. Our organization provides a uniquely tailored experience for all in attendance through innovative and
accessible programming. We believe that an emphasis on education through simulation is paramount to the Model UN experience,
and this idea permeates throughout NHSMUN.
Realism and accuracy: Although a perfect simulation of the UN is never possible, we believe that one of the core educational
responsibilities of MUN conferences is to educate students about how the UN System works. Each NHSMUN committee is
a simulation of a real deliberative body so that delegates can research what their country has said in the committee. Our topics
are chosen from the issues currently on the agenda of each committee (except historical committees, which take topics from the
appropriate time period). This creates incredible opportunities for our delegates to conduct first-hand research by reading the
actual statements their country has made and the resolutions they have supported. We also strive to invite real UN, NGO, and
field experts into each committee through our committee speakers program. Furthermore, our staff arranges meetings between
students and the actual UN Permanent Mission of the country they represent. No other conference goes so far to immerse
students into the UN System so deeply.
Educational emphasis, even for awards: At the heart of NHSMUN lie education and compromise. As such, when NHSMUN
does distribute awards, we de-emphasize their importance compared to the educational value of Model UN as an activity.
NHSMUN seeks to reward students who excel in the arts of compromise and diplomacy. More importantly, we seek to develop
an environment where delegates can employ their critical thought processes and share ideas with their counterparts from around
the world. Part of what makes NHSMUN so special is its diverse delegate base. Given our delegates’ plurality of perspectives
and experiences, we center our programming around the values of diplomacy and teamwork. In particular, our daises look for
and promote constructive leadership that strives towards consensus, as real delegates do in the United Nations.
Debate founded on knowledge: With knowledgeable staff members and delegates from over 70 countries, NHSMUN can
facilitate an enriching experience reliant on substantively rigorous debate. To ensure this high quality of debate, our staff members
produce extremely detailed and comprehensive topic guides (like the one below) to prepare delegates for the complexities and
nuances inherent in each global issue. This process takes over six months, during which the Directors who lead our committees
develop their topics with the valuable input of expert contributors. Because these topics are always changing and evolving,
NHSMUN also produces update papers intended to bridge the gap of time between when the background guides are published
and when committee starts in March. As such, this guide is designed to be a launching point from which delegates should delve
further into their topics. The detailed knowledge that our Directors provide in this background guide through diligent research
aims to spur critical thought within delegates at NHSMUN.
Extremely engaged staff: At NHSMUN, our staffers care deeply about delegates’ experiences and what they take away from
their time at NHSMUN. Before the conference, our Directors and Assistant Directors are trained rigorously through copious
hours of workshops and exercises to provide the best conference experience possible. At the conference, delegates will have the
opportunity to meet their dais members before the first committee session, where they may engage one-on-one to discuss their
UNIDO 6| A Note on the NHSMUN Difference committees and topics. Our Directors and Assistant Directors are trained and empowered to be experts on their topics, and they are eager to share their knowledge with delegates. Our Directors and Assistant Directors read every position paper submitted to NHSMUN and provide thoughtful insight on those submitted by the feedback deadline. Our staff aims not only to tailor the committee experience to delegates’ reflections and research but also to facilitate an environment where all delegates’ thoughts can be heard. Empowering participation: The UN relies on the voices of all of its Member States to create resolutions most likely to make a meaningful impact on the world. That is our philosophy at NHSMUN as well. We believe that to properly delve into an issue and produce fruitful debate, it is crucial to focus the entire energy and attention of the room on the topic at hand. Our Rules of Procedure and our staff focus on empowering every voice in the committee, regardless of each delegate’s country assignment or skill level. Additionally, unlike many other conferences, we also emphasize delegate participation after the conference. MUN delegates are well-researched and aware of the UN’s priorities, and they can serve as the vanguard for action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Therefore, we are proud to connect students with other action-oriented organizations to encourage further work on the topics. Focused committee time: We feel strongly that interpersonal connections during debate are critical to producing superior committee experiences and allow for the free flow of ideas. Ensuring policies based on equality and inclusion is one way in which NHSMUN guarantees that every delegate has an equal opportunity to succeed in committee. In order to allow communication and collaboration to be maximized during committee, we have a very dedicated team who work throughout the conference to type, format, and print draft resolutions and working papers. As always, we welcome any questions or concerns about the substantive program at NHSMUN 2022 and would be happy to discuss NHSMUN pedagogy with faculty or delegates. Delegates, it is our sincerest hope that your time at NHSMUN will be thought-provoking and stimulating. NHSMUN is an incredible time to learn, grow, and embrace new opportunities. We look forward to seeing you work both as students and global citizens at the conference. Best, Kathy Li Director-General
UNIDO
A Note on Research and Preparation |7
A Note on Research and Preparation
Delegate research and preparation is a critical element of attending NHSMUN and enjoying the debate experience. We have
provided this Background Guide to introduce the topics that will be discussed in your committee. We encourage and expect each
of you to critically explore the selected topics and be able to identify and analyze their intricacies upon arrival to NHSMUN in
March.
The task of preparing for the conference can be challenging, but to assist delegates, we have updated our Beginner Delegate
Guide and Advanced Delegate Guide. In particular, these guides contain more detailed instructions on how to prepare a
position paper and excellent sources that delegates can use for research. Use these resources to your advantage. They can help
transform a sometimes overwhelming task into what it should be: an engaging, interesting, and rewarding experience.
To accurately represent a country, delegates must be able to articulate its policies. Accordingly, NHSMUN requires each delegation
(the one or two delegates representing a country in a committee) to write a position paper for each topic on the committee’s
agenda. In delegations with two students, we strongly encourage each student to research each topic to ensure that they are
prepared to debate no matter which topic is selected first. More information about how to write and format position papers can
be found in the NHSMUN Research Guide. To summarize, position papers should be structured into three sections:
I: Topic Background – This section should describe the history of the topic as it would be described by the delegate’s
country. Delegates do not need to give an exhaustive account of the topic, but rather focus on the details that are most
important to the delegation’s policy and proposed solutions.
II: Country Policy – This section should discuss the delegation’s policy regarding the topic. Each paper should state the
policy in plain terms and include the relevant statements, statistics, and research that support the effectiveness of the policy.
Comparisons with other global issues are also appropriate here.
III. Proposed Solutions – This section should detail the delegation’s proposed solutions to address the topic. Descriptions
of each solution should be thorough. Each idea should clearly connect to the specific problem it aims to solve and identify
potential obstacles to implementation and how they can be avoided. The solution should be a natural extension of the
country’s policy.
Each topic’s position paper should be no more than 10 pages long double-spaced with standard margins and font size. We
recommend 3–5 pages per topic as a suitable length. The paper must be written from the perspective of the your assigned
country should articulate the policies you will espouse at the conference.
Each delegation is responsible for sending a copy of its papers to their committee Directors via myDais on or before March
4, 2022. If a delegate wishes to receive detailed feedback from the committee’s dais, a position must be submitted on or before
February 18, 2022. The papers received by this earlier deadline will be reviewed by the dais of each committee and returned
prior to your arrival at the conference.
Complete instructions for how to submit position papers will be sent to faculty advisers via email. If delegations are unable to
submit their position papers on time, please contact us at info@imuna.org.
Delegations that do not submit position papers to directors will be ineligible for awards.
UNIDO 8| Committee History Committee History Founded on November 17, 1966, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) was formed to promote poverty reduction, inclusive globalization, and environmental sustainability through industrial development. The UNIDO headquarters are located in Vienna, but the organization has primary offices in Brussels, Geneva, and New York. These primary offices are responsible for maintaining contact with member states and affiliated United Nations organs. Moreover, UNIDO has 48 regional and country offices worldwide that specialize in fieldwork.1 Seen through its global presence and voting procedures (consensus prioritization), UNIDO concentrates on unity and inclusion, ensuring that global societies benefit from industrial progress. Technology and innovation provide the groundwork for societal progress and intersect with tackling social and humanitarian issues. Statements within the Lima Declaration and Abu Dhabi Declaration express the committee’s direction regarding sustainable development.2 However, the vastly different challenges between different countries, including poor access to financial resources, employment, deindustrialization, depletion of natural resources, and intensifying threats of environmental degradation, make it ever so hard for UNIDO to push for its agendas and determine effective development strategies. During the Second Decade of Development of the United Nations (1970–1980), UNIDO went through a major transformation. UNIDO was made a permanent UN body by the unanimous passage of the GA Resolution 2152, preparing the UN for long- term policy work on industrialization.3 Furthermore, in 1979, following Articles 57 and 63 of the UN charter, the committee became one of the United Nations specialized agencies, which granted UNIDO greater autonomy, especially in the domain of project development by allowing it to have its own rules, procedures, and budget.4 Membership to UNIDO is open to all states that associate themselves with the objectives of UNIDO per its constitution. And until recently, UNIDO’s large membership was a source of legitimacy and international coordination. However, starting in the 1990s and until 2017, major contributors to the organization, such as the United States, France, and the United Kingdom, withdrew their membership from UNIDO, leaving the organization with 170 member states.5 Despite the financial complications brought about by these withdrawals, UNIDO has participated in many projects in which their help has been fruitful. One of these has been the Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA) which has pushed for public and private sector developments on the continent since the 1980s. Its third version, IDDA3, was launched in 2016 and focuses on the “inclusive and sustainable industrialization” of African states.6 UNIDO has also worked on common projects of the UN, such as the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. It is a legally binding document that would require the countries that ratified it to reduce their consumption of chemicals and substances that harm the ozone layer. The Montreal Protocol has gone down in history as one of the most successful environmental cooperative international agreements. UNIDO has also worked with UNESCO in analyzing patterns of foreign direct investments and their effects on the international world. Throughout its history, UNIDO has often collaborated with different UN organs and committees such as UNDP, UNEP, UNCTAD, and UNSO. Such associations increased the legitimacy of their work and thus strengthened their projects. 1 “Unido Worldwide.” UNIDO. https://www.unido.org/who-we-are/unido-worldwide. 2 “Lima Declaration,” FIFTEENTH SESSION OF THE UNIDO GENERAL CONFERENCE Lima, Peru, December 2, 2013 Resolution GC.15/Res.1. 3 Lee Debby et al. “The Intellectual History of UNIDO.” UNIDO, 2016, www.unido.org/sites/default/files/2016-11/UNIDO_50y_0.pdf. 4 “United Nations Charter,” United Nations, https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter. 5 “Member States List”. United Nations. https://www.unido.org/member_states. 6 UN General Assembly. Resolution 70/293, Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa (2016-2025). A/Res/70/293, 1/ 2. June 30, 2016. https://www.unido.org/sites/default/files/2017-11/IDDA_III_Resolution.pdf.
UNIDO
NHSMUN 2022
Topic A:
Empowering Women in Industry
Photo Credit: Mattes
Topic A: Empowering Women in Industry
10|I ntroduction
Introduction
The blue-collar industry houses many meaningful occupations globally, including those that require
manual labor and technical skills, such as plumbing, electrical wiring, construction, and mining.1
Modern infrastructure and innovation depend on these industries. Due to the long-held idea that
women are not capable of working outside the house, especially in occupations involving hands-on
labor, blue-collar jobs have been and continue to be geared towards men.2 However, as an emphasis
on equal opportunity and representation in jobs comes to light in the 21st century, there is a push for
more women to be integrated into the blue-collar workforce.
Women across the world are “drivers of sustainable disparity is present across the labor force but is amplified in
development.”3 Females carry out essential work for the blue-collar jobs due to characteristic factors like a hostile work
community and deserve the right to feel comfortable when environment.6
choosing a male-dominated profession. Instead, several have
A shocking 77 percent of women have experienced verbal
to turn to nurture-centered jobs, sometimes known as pink-
sexual harassment.7 However, due to an attitude referred to as
collar jobs. Such positions often offer lower wages than men in
blue-collar jobs.4 Women face many barriers when attempting hegemonic masculinity, it is normalized and even encouraged
to enter and stay in the blue-collar workforce, including facing a that men should be aggressive with an intrinsic entitlement of
workplace environment where discrimination and harassment power.8 While examining policy, UNIDO delegates must also
based on gender run rampant, the gender wage gap, and the think of different solutions to change day-to-day interactions
lack of accessible vocational training. Blue-collar jobs offer a and harmful attitudes toward women. Empowerment does
more manageable and predictable schedule with higher wages not only include getting into blue-collar jobs but also having
than other non-managerial jobs, which highly benefit working women be comfortable in their workplace. The issue can be
mothers who have to support their families. Therefore, it is worked on from several perspectives, including aiming to stop
essential to make these positions and their necessary training those who are committing harassment, encouraging women
more accessible to women. to report inappropriate experiences and having them feel that
their experiences are valid, and employers taking the issue of
Although strides have been made to narrow the gender wage sexual harassment more seriously.
gap, it persists, with women worldwide making 84 percent
of what men made for doing the same or similar jobs in the Sexual harassment is not the only barrier to succeeding in a
United Kingdom last year.5 This fact discourages women from blue-collar workplace. Women are also disadvantaged when
pursuing a higher career in blue-collar jobs or being involved introduced to technical skills because they lack empowerment
at all. Additionally, women are massively underrepresented and support in entering trade schools. Trade school or
in upper management or board positions where they would vocational training is an alternative to college or university
possibly have the ability to change payment patterns. This that can be attended without extensive prior schooling. A
1 Meredith Wood, “How Pink Collar Jobs Have Changed Since the 1940s,” International Women in Mining, last modified February 10, 2020,
https://internationalwim.org/how-pink-collar-jobs-have-changed-since-1940/.
2 Wood, “How Pink Collar Jobs Have Changed Since the 1940s.”
3 The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Achieving the Industry-Related Goals and Targets (Vienna: UNIDO, 2015), https://www.unido.org/
sites/default/files/2015-12/ISID_SDG_brochure_final_0.pdf.
4 Wood, “How Pink Collar Jobs Have Changed Since the 1940s.”
5 Helen Cordon and Susannah Donaldson, “Gender pay gap rises: full effect of Covid-19 yet to be seen,” Pinset Masons, last modified June
18, 2021, https://www.pinsentmasons.com/out-law/analysis/gender-pay-gap-rises-impact-covid19-yet-be-seen.
6 Ann Pietrangelo, “The Impacts of the Glass Ceiling Effect on People,” Healthline, last modified June 16, 2020, https://www.healthline.
com/health/mental-health/glass-ceiling-effect.
7 Rhitu Chatterjee, “A New Survey Finds 81 Percent of Women Have Experienced Sexual Harassment,” National Public Radio, last modified
February 21, 2018, https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/02/21/587671849/a-new-survey-finds-eighty-percent-of-women-
have-experienced-sexual-harassment.
8 Yuchen Yang, “What’s Hegemonic About Hegemonic Masculinity? Legitimation and Beyond,” American Sociological Association 38, no. 4
(2020): 318–333, https://www.asanet.org/sites/default/files/attach/journals/dec20stfeature.pdf.Topic A: Empowering Women in Industry
History and Description of the Issue |11
vocational certificate for woodworking can help a woman to female-dominated occupations.11 These occupations, such
build a career with that knowledge and skills in the blue-collar as nurses, secretaries, and teachers, are paid less because of
field. There is a clear path for promotions and advancement deeply ingrained societal sexism.12 It was not until the 21st
in many blue-collar professions, which is not always true of century when pink-collar jobs expanded to include professions
pink-collar occupations.9 There is also a possibility of being such as cosmetologists and dental assistants.13
a mentor in the future; the lack of female role models in the
Female-dominated jobs center around caring and nurturing
blue-collar industry discourages young girls from showing
roles like childcare and healthcare, reflecting widespread
interest or participating in learning skills. Programs or
gender stereotypes that women cannot perform traditionally
policies that help women get into vocational training allow
male-dominated jobs that display a different set of skills.
women to experience a career path that they otherwise would
While working in pink-collar jobs compensates for womens’
not have had access to, emphasizing the need for women’s
labor, women are chained to overwhelmingly low-paying
empowerment into the blue-collar workplace through trade
occupations with no clear career path by not being able to
school training.
break barriers into the blue-collar workforce.14 A secretary,
When women cannot access or have to leave a blue-collar job nurse, childcare worker, or minimum wage worker usually
due to a hostile work environment or unfair treatment, the does not get promoted; they either stay at the same job or
global community fails its women. Females are capable of pursue a degree or other education to find a new occupation
succeeding in blue-collar jobs. It is the UNIDO’s job to look entirely.15 However, between 1970–2009, all types of
closer into the institutional shortcomings and allow women occupations ranging from wage workers to physicians saw
to transition into occupations with gender parity and proper a resurgence in gender and wage inequality, confirming that
protections against discrimination and harassment. gender segregation is a social issue, not based on education
or skill levels.16
The worldwide acceptance and encouragement of women
History and Description of the Issue
entering the workforce are also comparatively recent, starting
Gender Segregation in the Workforce in the 1940s and the post-World War II period.17 When many
countries’ men left their jobs to fight in the war, many women
Blue-collar jobs are defined as occupations that require saw their entrance into careers and the workforce, primarily
manual labor or are involved in manufacturing, such as manufacturing jobs that contributed to the war effort.18 In the
electricians, mechanics, plumbers, firefighters, and police mid-twentieth century, workplace segregation was at an all-
officers.10 Although these occupations are not as high-earning time low as the international labor force saw increasing gender
as white-collar managerial or professional positions, they desegregation from the 1940s to the 1970s.19 More than five
are still lucrative for middle or lower socioeconomic class million women entered the labor force between 1940–1945,
citizens, requiring specialized skills like ironmaking, welding, with 45 percent of tobacco and textile industry workers being
or manufacturing. In contrast, pink-collar jobs, a term female.20 Nowadays, these occupations are composed of
popularized by author Louise Kapp Howe in the 1970s, refers approximately 25 percent female employees.
9 Wood, “How Pink Collar Jobs Have Changed Since the 1940s.”
10 Wood, “How Pink Collar Jobs Have Changed Since the 1940s.”
11 Wood, “How Pink Collar Jobs Have Changed Since the 1940s.”
12 Wood, “How Pink Collar Jobs Have Changed Since the 1940s.”
13 Wood, “How Pink Collar Jobs Have Changed Since the 1940s.”
14 Wood, “How Pink Collar Jobs Have Changed Since the 1940s.”
15 Wood, “How Pink Collar Jobs Have Changed Since the 1940s.”
16 Will McGrew, “Gender segregation at work: ‘separate but equal’ or ‘inefficient and unfair,’” Washington Center for Equitable Growth, August
18, 2016, https://equitablegrowth.org/gender-segregation-at-work-separate-but-equal-or-inequitable-and-inefficient/.
17 Wood, “How Pink Collar Jobs Have Changed Since the 1940s.”
18 Wood, “How Pink Collar Jobs Have Changed Since the 1940s.”
19 Wood, “How Pink Collar Jobs Have Changed Since the 1940s.”
20 Wood, “How Pink Collar Jobs Have Changed Since the 1940s.”Topic A: Empowering Women in Industry
12|H istory and Description of the Issue
work.21
The entrance of women into the blue-collar workforce is
marked by hiring discrimination, fueled by the perception that
women are incapable of partaking in manual labor and the
glass ceiling phenomenon. The glass ceiling is understood as a
set of invisible barriers applied to women and minority groups
that make it difficult to get hired or promoted once hired,
specifically in male-dominated occupations.22 Regardless of
equal or more experience, women are more likely to lose in
the job market to men, making a more equitable workforce
composition difficult. An estimated 85 percent of all executive
board members and corporate officials are men, and three-
fourths of all blue-collar workers are men.23 These white-
collar and higher-ranking blue-collar positions have higher
salaries than pink-collar jobs. Since they are male-dominated
and managed, gender segregation in the global labor force
prevails.
Despite the current struggles in equality, the industrialized
world has seen the most significant strides of women
empowerment in the workforce in developed countries in the
Global North such as Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom,
other Western European countries, and Scandinavian
During World War II, many women were introduced to the workforce through
pink-collar jobs countries such as Denmark and Iceland.24 Mexico, a country
Historically, women additionally held subservient positions in regarded as an emerging economy, ranks fifth in the Women’s
patriarchal familial structures and social hierarchies, consigned Workplace Equality Index with a score of 92.8 out of 100.25
to domestic tasks such as child-rearing and household chores. This can be attributed to long-standing cultural norms that
Because of a perceived universal stereotype of a natural emphasize the strength and valor of Mexican women.26 The
skill of nurturing and caring for others, women have gone Women’s Workplace Equality Index is based on factors like
into and dominated fields that center around these so-called how hard it is for a woman to enter different professions,
maternal skills. However, these occupations, like nursing, women’s property rights, and the existence or lack thereof
secretarial or clerical jobs, and preschool or elementary school of anti-workplace harassment laws.27 The higher ranked a
teacher positions pay lower wages than their male-dominated country is, the more successfully women have been integrated
counterparts, such as information technology, finance, or into the economy and workplace. Although women in these
engineering. This can be attributed to a consensus in the 20th countries and other developing states have fought their way to
century that females’ work was worth less than the males’ more significant inclusion in leadership roles for business and
21 Wood, “How Pink Collar Jobs Have Changed Since the 1940s.”
22 Pietrangelo, “The Impacts of the Glass Ceiling Effect on People.”
23 Danielle Paquette, “Blue-collar men are riding America’s economic wave. Women? Not so much,” The Washington Post, October 23,
2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/blue-collar-men-are-riding-americas-economic-wave-women-not-so-
much/2018/10/22/c7879694-d60b-11e8-aeb7-ddcad4a0a54e_story.html.
24 Women’s Workplace Equality Index, “Country Rankings,” accessed June 21, 2021, https://www.cfr.org/legal-barriers/country-rankings/.
25 Women’s Workplace Equality Index,“Country Rankings.”
26 Antonia I. Castañeda, “Gender, Race, and Culture: Spanish-Mexican Women in the Historiography of Frontier California,” Frontiers: A
Journal of Women Studies 11, no. 1 (1990): 8-20, https://doi.org/10.2307/3346697.
27 Women’s Workplace Equality Index,“Country Rankings.”Topic A: Empowering Women in Industry
History and Description of the Issue |13
government, there has been little to no female integration into at an even more considerable disadvantage due to perceptions
blue-collar jobs.28 of their skill level along with discriminatory cultural
overtones.33 For example, for every one USD a white man
Many social scientists point to a resurgence of hegemonic
earned in 2018, white women were paid 79 cents, but African
masculinity. This hegemonic masculinity endorses the idea that
American women were paid 62 cents.34 This represents how
women should be confined to the home and that men should
the intersectionality of being a woman and part of a minority
be the primary providers or breadwinners to supply sustenance
group can be compounded to magnify the impacts of unequal
to a household.29 This resurgence of hegemonic masculinity
treatment.
is a response to the recent advances in feminism and equality
of genders.30 Total gender equality in the workplace is very
Women as Drivers of Sustainable Development
far from being achieved, but the idea that men’s patriarchal
position in society may be devalued is threatening to some The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development highlights
males. Although these beliefs may seem personal, they are the importance of strong industrial development that is eco-
far-reaching when they influence the ideals of fathers raising friendly and sustainable enough to carry on for generations.
daughters by encouraging their female children to aim low and These industry-related goals focus on the international labor
affect voting on representatives that shape public policy. The force as the leading proponent of implementing new practices
gender typing ideology also rears its head when an employer and other changes.35 Goals like empowering women and girls
buys into the stereotype of females being unable to contribute and advocating for economic equality for all are central to
significantly to a labor cause.31 integrate women into the blue-collar workforce.
These sentiments are amplified in the blue-collar setting due The Sustainable Development Report provides a Sustainable
to the manual skills required for these occupations. Some Development Goal (SDG) Index that indicates how well
male workers’ aversion to working with females comes in fear countries maintain or actively change to meet the goals.36
of women “not being able to pull their own weight.” These Although no state has completed all 17 goals, there is a clear
unfounded stereotypes are far-reaching into many patriarchal correlation between countries with a high SDG Index score
structures to the point where some occupations and their and countries that rank highest in the Women’s Workplace
workers feel the need to maintain a reputation of manliness. Equality Index.37 Among the highest in both categories
Even the best-paying middle-skill jobs in fields like information are Finland, Sweden, Denmark, the United Kingdom,
technology, logistics, and advanced manufacturing require and Australia.38 Australia holds the number one position
similar and comparable skills to lower-paying occupations in the Women’s Workplace Equality Index, repeating its
like secretaries or office clerks, but women are often barred commitment to empowering and encouraging the equality of
from these positions and experience hiring discrimination.32 genders in the country in a UN Women declaration.39 This
Women of color and ethnic minorities around the world are commitment reaches beyond its borders, as the Australian
28 McGrew, “Gender segregation at work: ‘separate but equal’ or ‘inefficient and unfair.’”
29 Yang, “What’s Hegemonic About Hegemonic Masculinity? Legitimation and Beyond.”; “Women’s Labor Force Participation,” Status
of Women in the States, accessed July 27, 2021, https://statusofwomendata.org/earnings-and-the-gender-wage-gap/womens-labor-force-
participation/.
30 Yang, “What’s Hegemonic About Hegemonic Masculinity? Legitimation and Beyond.”
31 Yang, “What’s Hegemonic About Hegemonic Masculinity? Legitimation and Beyond.”
32 McGrew, “Gender segregation at work: ‘separate but equal’ or ‘inefficient and unfair.’”
33 Pietrangelo, “The Impacts of the Glass Ceiling Effect on People.”
34 Robin Bleiweis, “Quick Facts About the Gender Wage Gap,” Center for American Progress, last modified March 24, 2020, https://www.
americanprogress.org/issues/women/reports/2020/03/24/482141/quick-facts-gender-wage-gap/.
35 The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Achieving the Industry-Related Goals and Targets.
36 The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Achieving the Industry-Related Goals and Targets.
37 Jeffrey D. Sachs, Christian Kroll, Guillaume Lafortune, Grayson Fuller, and Finn Woelm, Sustainable Development Report, 2021: The Decade
of Action for the Sustainable Development Goals, (Cambridge: Cambridge University, 2021), https://s3.amazonaws.com/sustainabledevelopment.
report/2021/2021-sustainable-development-report.pdf.
38 Women’s Workplace Equality Index,“Country Rankings.”
39 The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Achieving the Industry-Related Goals and Targets.Topic A: Empowering Women in Industry
14|H istory and Description of the Issue
Women in a village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo collecting and cleaning water for the community
Minister for Foreign Affairs has allotted a Gender Equality Defined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation
Fund to work on this problem internationally. 40
Although and Development (OECD), “economic empowerment is the
this entails eradicating violence against females, women’s capacity of women and men to participate in, contribute to
economic empowerment, and promoting female leadership and benefit from growth processes in ways that recognize the
value of their contributions, respect their dignity and make
opportunities, it also covers integrating more women into
it possible to negotiate a fairer distribution of the benefits
the manufacturing and manual labor workforce, emphasizing
of growth.”43 Women’s equality in the blue-collar workforce
fair opportunities at promotions, and furthering a woman’s
allows more women to actively participate in the economy,
career path.41 Chile, India, Senegal, Rwanda, and G7 member
and when there are more participants, the economy can
states have followed Australia’s lead, realizing the inextricable grow. When more people are involved in making money
tie between women’s empowerment in the broader workforce for themselves, they have the ability to put this capital back
and the progress towards more sustainable lifestyles and into markets and their communities. Because of government
economies.42 partnerships and state revenue collections, participating
40 Australia makes new commitments internationally and at home to empower women and girls (updated), (UN Women: February 2017), https://www.
unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/initiatives/stepitup/commitments-speeches/australia-stepitup-commitment-followup-
20170224-en.pdf ?la=en&vs=3311.
41 Australia makes new commitments internationally and at home to empower women and girls (updated).
42 Daniel F. Runde and Sundar R. Ramanujam, “Empowering Women through Skills and Workforce Development,” Center for Strategic
and International Studies, last modified March 26, 2020, https://www.csis.org/analysis/empowering-women-through-skills-and-workforce-
development.
43 OECD, “Women’s economic empowerment,” last modified April 2011, https://www.oecd.org/social/gender-development/
womenseconomicempowerment.htm.Topic A: Empowering Women in Industry
History and Description of the Issue |15
in the economy can help fuel publicly-funded programs.44 economy, such as blue-collar jobs.
Subsequently, a growing economy allows for more funding
The communication with and confidence in women to
towards sustainability programs through revenue and other
report diligently back to United Nations agencies to fix any
partnerships.45 These funds may be funneled into programs
flaws is essential to working towards the 2030 Agenda for
in blue-collar or pink-collar work sectors, cycling back to the
Sustainable Development.50 Any policies or recommendations
workers whose labor allowed them to develop.
to be enacted may also be better spread through the women
About one-third of all women in the global workforce are of the world who hold significant cultural respect within
involved in the forestry, fishing, or agricultural sectors.46 their communities. Foreign policymakers or United Nations
The agency that these jobs give women serves to break the representatives may not always be welcome in communities
stereotype that females are naturally helpless and subservient. weary of modern development with rich ties to their cultural
Additionally, the active participation and success in these and spiritual heritage, such as sub-Saharan Africa.51 By
areas prove an apparent misconception of what women can empowering women in the blue-collar workforce, employers,
do concerning manual labor. This is especially relevant when countries, and the United Nations can place confidence in
discussing blue-collar jobs, with many occupations requiring these women to understand the SDGs instead of assuming that
fundamental skills to be executed with force and other types they are not apt for proper explanations. When the women are
of hard, physical labor.47 In addition, the women who work shown responsibility and are expected to be accountable, they
on the land and with their ecosystem can provide essential can go back to local communities and distribute information
feedback and insight as to what sustainable practices are in a digestible way to each specific culture.52 In these cases,
feasible or successful in different parts of the world. the pre-assigned nurturing role of women can expand to
other community members. With the new information, child-
However, this highlights the problem of vulnerable and
rearing would include a lifestyle that aligns with the current
informal work, as many women who work close to the
and future recommended sustainability goals.53
environmental sector are self-employed or unpaid family
workers. Many tasks in a community such as socializing Firm innovation and corporate creativeness have increased
children, providing water and food, and housework might when an executive board is at least 30 percent female.54 The
be expected to be completed by women of a certain age explanation is that firms can market and have a perspective
because of cultural norms. In developing countries, women of a whole population sample, not just a man’s. For assurance
collectively travel for almost 200 million hours to collect water that as a society, we are compiling the best ideas about
for their families to regions that are a considerable distance sustainable development and improved infrastructure, women
from their homes.48 In most instances, they are either not fully must be a part of the conversation. Sustainable development
acknowledged or compensated for their labor.49 This becomes needs proper funding, and this can be accomplished through
a second shift of domestic work for women who already more participating members of the economy. It is estimated
have a job outside the home. This problem could be averted that if women engaged in the global economy at the same
by empowering them to work in other sectors in the formal level as men do today, the GDP by 2025 would be 11 trillion
44 OECD, “Women’s economic empowerment.”
45 Candice Stevens, Are Women the Key to Sustainable Development? (Boston: Boston University, The Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study
of the Longer-Range Future, 2010), https://www.bu.edu/pardee/files/2010/04/UNsdkp003fsingle.pdf.
46 UN Women, “Facts and Figures: Economic Empowerment,” last modified July, 2018, https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/
economic-empowerment/facts-and-figures.
47 UN Women, “Facts and Figures: Economic Empowerment.”
48 Runde and Ramanujam, “Empowering Women through Skills and Workforce Development.”
49 UN Women, “Facts and Figures: Economic Empowerment.”
50 The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Achieving the Industry-Related Goals and Targets.
51 Stevens, Are Women the Key to Sustainable Development?
52 Stevens, Are Women the Key to Sustainable Development?
53 Stevens, Are Women the Key to Sustainable Development?
54 McGrew, “Gender segregation at work: ‘separate but equal’ or ‘inefficient and unfair.’”Topic A: Empowering Women in Industry
16|H istory and Description of the Issue
A woman learning welding in trade school
USD more than in 2020.55 To get there, states must empower still remain. However, a large emphasis on female participation
females through opportunities for promotion, entry into blue- in higher education in social sciences and science, technology,
collar jobs, proper protective equipment, and the right training engineering, and mathematics (STEM) principles has enabled
or trade school education. many women globally to attain college degrees where they
might not have been able to a century ago. Nevertheless,
Trade School Training vocational education remains unattainable for many women.57
As women were first encouraged to attain an education
With deep-set gender segregation and pervasive patriarchal
beyond high school, they were mainly pushed into fields like
gender norms, many women worldwide have been confined to
social work, nursing, and childhood education. These are in
the home, barred from pursuing any type of education. Trade
line with pink-collar jobs.58 Many scholars have disproved this,
school teaches techniques and competencies that are meant
affirming that women and men are capable of the same work,
to be applied to technical and practical professions, known
given that they are provided with the same opportunities for
as vocational skills, without a heavy academic emphasis.56
appropriate education and career development.
Although modern women are fighting against outdated values
with the help of social movements and updated policies, Before women were introduced to the professional labor
barriers to universally accepted and accessible female education force en masse, modern pink-collar jobs like nursing, home
55 Runde and Ramanujam, “Empowering Women through Skills and Workforce Development.”
56 Ben Davies, “What are the examples of vocational education?,” Mvorganizing.org, April 30, 2021, https://www.mvorganizing.org/what-
are-the-examples-of-vocational-education/.
57 Runde and Ramanujam, “Empowering Women through Skills and Workforce Development.”
58 Wood, “How Pink Collar Jobs Have Changed Since the 1940s.”Topic A: Empowering Women in Industry
History and Description of the Issue |17
healthcare workers, secretaries, and other clerical jobs were where gender segregation is more deeply embedded into all
largely held by men. As women began to fill these positions, cultural institutions, such as Saudi Arabia, where religious
there was a significant male exodus from these fields because law traditionally assigns women to a subordinate position
of rampant sexism and stigmatization that these jobs were is prevalent and respected.66 A global push to encourage
“less worthy” because of their new association with women women in trade school training and, subsequently, blue-collar
workers.59 While the idea of women working outside the occupations can help more countries realize this goal. Beyond
home was normalized by society in the post World War II the need for the development of women professionals in the
period, blue-collar industries and managerial, science, or blue-collar workforce through vocational training, women
engineering-focused occupations were composed almost and girls around the world must be encouraged and able to
entirely of men.60 This persists today—women make up only learn business and leadership skills such as financial literacy.67
12 percent of all engineers in the United Kingdom.61 In the Whether girls should also be socialized to be more assertive
21st century, organizations focusing on STEM principles like rather than passive and gentle is something to consider, as
Girls Who Code have encouraged young girls to engage and personality traits are not gendered but learned.
persist in these disciplines.62 They host programs and learning
As technology advances, more knowledge on the latest
camps with female mentors to teach young women the skills
mechanisms and devices are needed to succeed in certain
that can help them attain high-paying white-collar jobs.63
blue-collar positions, such as electricians, mechanics, and
However, these organizations advocating for vocational skill
cable installers.68 However, this can be harder to attain in
training to help women enter the blue-collar workforce are
countries with hypermasculine heads of state that strive to
yet to be more widespread and lack bigger visibility, support,
uphold institutions of gender segregation like Russia and
and funding.
China.69 This sets the example of males being the capable
At the 2015 G7 Summit, member states expressed gender of leading, innovation, and decision-making, while
their commitment to supporting women’s economic females are not. Across the globe, there are also instances
empowerment.64 Their specific goal is to decrease workplace of domestic violence that prevent women of all ages from
gender-based segregation by 25 percent by 2025. So far, there leaving home and pursuing an education.70 Spousal or child
have been initiatives led by the United States and Australia to abuse can be used as an instrument to threaten females not to
promote vocational training for females and create legislation leave a subservient position in the household, predominantly
to help women reach their full economic potential. There has in developing countries, including Sudan, Mali, Iraq, and
also been a recent emphasis on female entrepreneurship and a Yemen.71 This is due to cultural norms of women as
surge to ensure equal access to capital, networks, and markets.65 homemakers and nothing more. More than a quarter of all
Approximately half of G20 member states are on course to women ages 15–49 have experienced some form of domestic
accomplish this goal. However, it is more difficult in countries violence from an intimate partner. With the heteronormativity
59 McGrew, “Gender segregation at work: ‘separate but equal’ or ‘inefficient and unfair.’”
60 Wood, “How Pink Collar Jobs Have Changed Since the 1940s.”
61 “Useful Statistics,” Women Engineering Society, accessed July 27, 2021, https://www.wes.org.uk/content/wesstatistics.
62 “Useful Statistics.”
63 “About Us,” Girls Who Code, accessed June 28, 2021, https://girlswhocode.com/about-us.
64 Runde and Ramanujam, “Empowering Women through Skills and Workforce Development.”
65 Runde and Ramanujam, “Empowering Women through Skills and Workforce Development.”
66 Runde and Ramanujam, “Empowering Women through Skills and Workforce Development.”
67 Courtney Han, “Girls in blue-collar communities face poorer job prospects,” The Journalist’s Resource, November 4, 2016, https://
journalistsresource.org/economics/vocational-school-training-women-blue-collar/.
68 Melissa Parietti, “Blue-Collar vs. White-Collar: What’s the Difference,” Investopedia, last modified February 15, 2020, https://www.
investopedia.com/articles/wealth-management/120215/blue-collar-vs-white-collar-different-social-classes.asp.
69 Colleen Scribner, “Why Strongmen Attack Women’s Rights,” Freedom House, June 18, 2019, https://freedomhouse.org/article/why-
strongmen-attack-womens-rights.
70 World Health Organization, “Violence Against Women,” last modified March 9, 2021, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/
detail/violence-against-women.
71 World Health Organization, “Violence Against Women.”Topic A: Empowering Women in Industry
18|H istory and Description of the Issue
of a large portion of the world, many perpetrators are male.72 The most critical place to concentrate trade school opportunities
Traumatic experiences dealt by males can discourage females is in communities where many men already go into blue-collar
from entering the male-dominated blue-collar field, creating occupations. Integration can be easier worldwide if the process
further barriers to the economic empowerment of women. starts in regions where blue-collar jobs are already familiar.
This barrier starts with intimidation and traditional mindsets Therefore women will have had some exposure to them
in domestic settings that prevent women from attaining a through friends, neighbors, brothers, or fathers.78 To help ease
vocational education and pursuing opportunities in the blue- out of gender segregative norms, having vocational schools
collar workforce. in the vicinities can allow mothers and sisters to continue
carrying out some household responsibilities while attaining a
There are no standards for integrating women into vocational technical education. Although the continuation of housework
education as there has historically been a deficit in women by oppressed women may seem counteractive, by mixing trade
filling these student positions. Therefore, it is up to each state school training with practices familiar to specific communities,
to handle funding and the remodeling of blue-collar education the impact of the education and subsequent entrance into the
to workforce pipelines.73 One way to encourage participation blue-collar workforce can be normalized over time. Where
is by advertising attractive prospects such as the time and possible, participation in vocational electives in high schools
investment needed to be fully trained. Formal secondary may also be beneficial for females to see if blue-collar work is
education at a higher institution can have high costs and a something they would like to pursue. Examples include audio-
time commitment of four to eight years, and leisure time is visual and woodworking courses. Although these classes tend
often taken up by studying to succeed in class. Often, working to be male-dominated, more advertising and female mentors
a different part-time job is necessary.74 However, in trade may encourage female students to enroll.79
schools, a technical skills course can take anywhere from six
months to three years, with remaining time to continue taking Advantages of the Inclusion of Women in
care of household matters. In terms of cost, the difference Blue-Collar Jobs
is what makes blue-collar jobs more trainable. A trade school The mid-twentieth century saw the rise of divorce rates and
education can cost anywhere from CAD 8,000–16,000 per nonmarital births, resulting in 53 percent of non-traditional
year in Canada.75 In comparison, a university experience families being single-parent homes headed by mothers in
costs a median of CAD 20,000–30,000 annually.76 When the United States.80 In divorce or separation, mother-child
a vocational certificate is earned, a woman can be ready to pairs have fared worse concerning the economic status and
work in a blue-collar job and gain socioemotional skills and quality of life than fathers or husbands.81 This lands many
developments in cognitive thinking. Skills gained through trade single mothers in the working class searching for multiple
school education include welding, electric wiring, plumbing, jobs to make ends meet. Many find themselves in minimum
web designing, and carpentry. Not only does this allow for wage or other low-paying jobs such as cashiers, clerical jobs,
individual empowerment of women around the world, but it or home health care workers, who earn 200 percent below the
prevents society from having “walled-in” citizens that cannot federal poverty line in the United States.82 The poverty line
contribute to society beyond their homes.77 is an economic measure of the level of income needed for
72 World Health Organization, “Violence Against Women.”
73 Runde and Ramanujam, “Empowering Women through Skills and Workforce Development.”
74 Runde and Ramanujam, “Empowering Women through Skills and Workforce Development.”
75 “VET Courses in Canada,” Global Education Future Option, accessed July 27, 2021, https://futureoption.net/canada/vet-course-in-canada.
76 Runde and Ramanujam, “Empowering Women through Skills and Workforce Development.”
77 Runde and Ramanujam, “Empowering Women through Skills and Workforce Development.”
78 Han, “Girls in blue-collar communities face poorer job prospects.”
79 Han, “Girls in blue-collar communities face poorer job prospects.”
80 Gretchen Livingston, “The Changing Profile of Unmarried Parents,” Pew Research Center, last modified April 25, 2018, https://www.
pewresearch.org/social-trends/2018/04/25/the-changing-profile-of-unmarried-parents/.
81 Livingston, “The Changing Profile of Unmarried Parents.”
82 Paquette, “Blue-collar men are riding America’s economic wave. Women? Not so much.”You can also read
