Paid Work Case Study

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Does access to paid work increase our chances of achieving gender equality? Discuss
Over the years, the economic dependence of women on men which has resulted in their subordination and oppression by men as argued in the classical feminist literature can be mitigated by ensuring women’s access to paid work. Even though some feminists have criticized the potential of paid work to increase our chances of achieving gender equality because of the limitation of persisting existence of institutional structural distribution of roles and norms, gendered-labor wage differentiations, the feminization of labor, etc that applies to different men and women in different context within the larger picture of social hierarchies (Kabeer,2013), it is definitely …show more content…

To help with analysis, further arguments will then be examined to establish the mechanisms through which women employment in the formal sector will increase our chances of achieving gender equality in the long run. Using Amman (Jordan) as a case study, the paper will demonstrate and analyze the impact of paid work on the lives of young Jordan women. A brief conclusion will follow highlighting the essence of holistically tackling the issue of women’s employment with regards to the structural limitations of under-payment, unpaid work and the informal economy, as well as other patriarchal cultural norms which restricts the type, duration and proximity of women’s …show more content…

As the increase in community respect for them rises because their opinions are valued more, they become more confident in contributing to the formulation and implementation of community policies and programs which are usually characterized with community leaders mainly male representatives from different households (Kabeer, 2008). Similarly, at the national level we are witnessing an increase in female representation and participation in the decision making of important issues such as voting in election, protests etc which are were previously male dominated (Khoury and Moghadam, 1995). In other words, when women are powered with the bargaining skills and greater autonomy, they are more likely to voice out and confront internalized oppression in their interpersonal relationships within the household and the society as a whole (Oxaal and Baden, 1997). The relationship between paid work and women’s empowerment is evident in the case of Amman in Jordan where a research conducted by Mary Kawar in 2000 shows a correlation between paid job and the expansion of the women’s horizons in various aspects of their lives. Jordan which was characterized by an increase in unemployment rate by 1997-1998 even though had much negative impact on women than men

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