Actualizing CEDAW: Labor Force in Informal Economy

in Taiwan

Shang Luan Yan, Professor Shih Chien University

Member, FIFCJ, SWS, PPSEAWA – NYPresident, MHAT- WFMH

58th UN CSW NGOMarch 10th _ 20th , 2014

CEDAW NGO Report

• Since 2008• Article 11, 1 （ C）、（ D）、（ E）、（ F ） & 2• Gender Gap, Gender Segregated

Occupations in Labor Forces, Maternity Protection, & Balance of Work and Family

• Studies shown ， gender discrimination is persisting at the workplace in Taiwan, and it is still a long way to actualize CEDAW and MDG.

2013 Women in Informal Economy

CEDAW Article 11, 1 (f) social security；Article 13, 1 the right of family benefitsGR 16 unpaid family worker - social protection

Production – Extended Family Role?

• Gender role – Women’s position in Family

Women work for Love (without pay)• Flexible work for the balance of family and

work

Domestic Work is a Job? Or Responsibility?

（ Yan ， 2009 ； ILO, 2008），

Types of Informal Economy

• Who are those in informal economy in TaiwanSelf-employedunpaid family worker – who are working or caring

for family member over 15 hrs/per week or over 3 hrs per day without pay (DGBT, 2013)

Who are those in informal economy internationally 1. Self-employed2. Women worker in Rural area3. Home worker4. Unpaid women’s family workers

Participants of Study

Focus Group & In-depth Interviewing

Participants

1. Unpaid Women’s Family Workers ：Domestic Worker & Caretaker

2. Work for Family Enterprise

3. Domestic Worker

4. Worker in Rural Area

Characteristics ： mainly care-taker with multiple roles

Unpaid Women’s Family Workers ：Domestic Worker & Caretaker

• Contents of work ：laundry 、 cooking 、 cleaning 、 care-taking for elderly, children and sick family member, mainly without pay

• Differences: working hours• Majority are women, very few men ， care for

family members in person. If men are care-takers most likely to hire others to be caretakers.

• Gendered division of labor

Unpaid Women’s Family Workers ：Care-taker

• Care-taking for designed family member• Other than domestic work, most of time and

money on caring• Long-tem, high intensity, highly repeatability,

and professional skill have great impacts on care taker

• Family ties weaken, responsibility and cost are on caretaker

Woman Worker in Rural Area

Characteristics of Work： Long & Irregular Hours varied by corps High Intensity Field & Domestic Work Income Unstable Income controlled by male in the household Differences between family support and

economic mobility in East and South of Taiwan.

Woman Worker in East of Taiwan

Interviewee worked in non-agricultural job, after married and gave the birth, giving up the job requested by her husband, and responsible for domestic work and the field work as well.

External factor: gendered division of labor embedded in her environment, patriarchy and traditional ethics are still major forces in rural family.

Woman Worker in South of Taiwan

Co-op in Community。 daily living and work are blended in

community support system Better off than unpaid family worker in the

city, self employed and irregular working hours may become more mobile for them.

Social Protection – Unpaid Family Workers

CEDAW GR16

Outlining the steps to be taken to recognize the contribution of unpaid women workers in rural and urban family enterprises [Articles 2 & 11]

Table 1:1992-2012 Gender Statistics in Labor Forces

  Population Unpaid family worker

  Total M W Total M W

1992 8,632,000 5,380,000(62.32%)

3,252,000(37.68%)

768,000(8.89%)

212,000(2.46%)

556,000(6.44%)

2002 9,454,000 5,547,000(58.68%)

3,907,000(41.32%)

695,000(7.36%)

171,000(1.8%)

525,000(5.55)

2012 10,860,000 6,083,000(56.2%)

4,777,000(43.98%)

570,000(5.25%)

157,000(1.44 %)

412,000(3.79%)

表一： 1992-2012我國勞動人口變化性別統計資料來源：主計處， 2013 。 101年人力資源調查統計年報。

Table 2: Pension Insured by Gender

Insured

total M W

2009 4,014,678 1,908,598(47.5%)

2,106,080(52.5%)

2010 3,872,241 1,829,080(47.2%)

2,043,161(52.8%)

2011 3,783,731 1,807,547(47.8%)

1,976,184(52.2%)

2012 1,942,016 1,783,610(47.9%)

3,725,626(52.1%)

資料來源：勞工保險局， 2013。註：國民年金被保險人人數為每年 12月人數。

Types of Insured

• Majority of unpaid family workers insured via the occupational unions, few insured through the status of the spouse

• Chosen the occupational unions due to not qualified for other insurances (no designed employer or not continuing employed) and accumulating work experiences for better pension for retiring are needed.

• Only one interviewee joint pension fund because stable income and extra income, such as, rent.

Conclusions and Discussion

Women in informal economy due to family responsibility to gain balance of work and family

In accord with multiple role sets, fully employed is determined by family factors or social structure rather than individual free will and achievement.

Conclusions and Discussion

• The patterns and needs of employed in informal economy are varied.

• Indeed, employed in informal economy has less security and protection in the work place.

• And, to access social protection is harder.• Suggestion: Using special measurements to

alter those who employed in informal economy, i.e., higher insurance and benefits provided.

Thank You for Listening！