Integrating

Occupational Safety

and Health in

Women’s Micro

Enterprises

The GREAT Women Project Experience

By: L. A. Villanueva

Outline

• MSME Profile in the Philippines

• Gender and OSH issues in MSEs

• GREAT Women Project (2007-2013) • Design and Strategy for Women’s Economic

Empowerment (WEE) • OSHC sub-project methodology • Project results/ outcomes • Major Lessons

• Supporting OSH and Women’s Economic Empowerment – Value Chain as Framework

MSMEs in the Philippines 944,897 business enterprises (as of 2012)

• MSMEs – 940,886 (99.6%) • Large – 4,011 (0.4%)

Of total MSMEs – 844,764 (89.8%) are micro (assets of Php3.0 M and below) Majority are in wholesale/retail trade, repair of

motor vehicles/ motorcycles (46.4%) Information & communication, financial & other

services (14.1%) Accommodation & food services (13.4%) Manufacturing (12.4%) Health, social, professional & technical services

(11.2%)

Top 5 locations of MSMEs: NCR, Calabarzon (4-A), Central Luzon (3), Central Visayas (7) and Western Visayas (6)

Employment generated by MSMEs – 4,930,851

Employment generated by Large – 2,658,740

2008 NSO data on informal sector:

25.0 Million workers; of which 3.5 Million are women

Self employed, sub-contracted workers, vendors or petty retailers

MSMEs in the Philippines (cont’d)

1. Low wages, “flexible” working arrangements for home-based enterprises; mode of payment varies

2. Precarious/poor working conditions for vendors and petty retailers

3. Limited social and health protection benefits

4. For home-based processing: • Unorganized, disorganized work set-up

• Poorly maintained equipment and tools

• Materials mixed with household goods

• Unlabeled and poorly kept chemicals (for some); risks of exposure to harmful chemicals

Some Gender & OSH Issues in

Micro enterprises

Some Gender & OSH Issues in

Micro enterprises 5. For agri-based processing: difficulties of women to

use equipment and tools designed for men

• Case of Gainza freshwater crablets (gathering in river and meat extraction using crab press; poorly kept kitchen sanitation)

• Case of Jagna calamay makers (heat using manual mixing in big woks)

• Case of Naga pili-nut processing

• Case of Bula, Cam. Sur – bamboo furniture makers (poorly maintained tools; dust particles from sanding bamboo, chemicals for varnish)

• Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of Women (GREAT Women Project)

• Project Goal – To enhance the enabling environment for women’s economic empowerment; focus on women in micro enterprises.

• Executing Agency: PCW

• Funds & TA from: Government of Canada

• 19 National Agencies

• 50 LGUs in 8 provinces: Ifugao, Quezon, Metro Naga, Iloilo, Bohol, Leyte, Davao del Sur, North Cotabato

2007-2013

Philippine Commission on Women

National Gov’t. Agencies

Other Partners

Local Gov’t Units

ENVIRONMENT ENABLING ENVIRONMENT

• GREAT Women Project Sub-Project on OSH for WMEs:

• OSHC conducted case study research in Camarines Sur and Quezon among selected WME groups:

• Pili-making, crab paste processing, smoked fish making, suman making

• Bamboo furniture and crafts, footwear made from agas (grass slippers), handmade paper making

• Conducted basic work environment assessment: socio-demographic, processing activities, perceptions of risks and hazards at work

•OSH for WMEs: Highlights of Assessment

• Low level of education of majority of workers; nearly half between 31-45 years old

• Involvement business: at least 5 years with work hours ave. 8-10 daily

• Examples of perceived hazards/ health risks:

• For non-food: sharp-edged tools, exposure to dust & sulfur fumes, prolonged sitting, carrying bulky loads, repetitive hand movements resulting to musculoskeletal symptoms

• For food enterprises: exposure to smoke and heat from cooking, noise from crab press, enclosed work areas, waste materials not properly disposed, muscle & joint pains

• OSH for WMEs: Development of Modules & Implementation

• Results of case studies/ assessment used to develop IEC materials and training modules (comics, radio program, posters)

• OSHC and PCW conducted training of trainers at LGU level – increased awareness on OSH among microenterprises in project sites

• Served as inputs to DENR, TESDA and other agencies’ training modules & knowledge products

• OSHC expanded reach to non-GREAT sites; infusion of OSH in national programs

• DOLE’s increased focus on informal sector development services

PCW’s

increased

effectiveness

to

mainstream

gender

Outcomes: GREAT Women Project (2007-2013)

GAD

Champions (in

NGAs/ LGUs) formulating &

implementing

WEE responsive

P/P/S

Women Micro

entrepreneurs

(WMEs)

• Increased access to government services by the WMEs

• Improved socio-economic conditions, gender relations, self confidence

• Increased participation

of WMEs in local development processes

• GAD Codes & WEE-related policies/plans

• Increased /better use of GAD budgets among NGAs/LGUs

• LGUs: enterprise devt units

Recommendations at End of Project Evaluation: 1. Need for a follow-up project to

build capacities of women as entrepreneurs

2. Focus on “business strengthening” – to make them more competitive

3. Consider the value chain approach 4. For NGAs to hone their expertise in

directly helping LGUs to provide services to WMEs

5. Build more partnerships with private sector

Inputs Processing Transformati

on

Trading (Wholesale and Consolidation)

Final Selling

ECC, LGU codes, CARD Bank/ SME, GAP,

Organic

FDA, HACCP, GMP, OSH, CSF, Environ. quality

Price regulations, quality control, FDA fair trade

Consumer Protection

FDA, HACCP, GMP, OSH, CSF, Environ. quality

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK/ MECHANISMS

LGU, DA, SUCS, Private Sector,

CARD, SME Banks, SB Corp.

DOST, DENR, LGU, Private Sector

DTI, Private Sector DTI, Private Sector DOST, DTI, DENR, Private Sector

Raw materials Credit structure

Quality control Technology Intro Production skills R&D

Wholesome traders Consolidation Local / export market

Consumers Supermarket Specialty stored

Quality control Technology Intro Production skills Design / packaging

ENABLING ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING INFRASTRUCTURE

GOAL – Supporting WEE in the Philippines Project

Contribute to employment generation and inclusive growth

Ultimate Outcome

Improved economic empowerment of women micro entrepreneurs and their workers

Intermediate Outcome 1

Improved competitiveness and sustainability of women’s micro enterprises

Intermediate Outcome 2

Improved enabling environment for women’s economic empowerment

Increased capacity of WMEs to produce and market high quality, environmentally friendly products

Improved entrepreneurial management capacity of WMEs

Improved coordination and service delivery among stakeholders to implement and monitor gender and environment sensitive P/P/S

Improved capacity of government institutions and women’s businesses to enhance the policy and regulatory environment for WEE

STATUS: • Approved grant for PCW and partners

(2014-2020); with GOP counterpart

• MOU signing between governments of Canada and the Philippines

• On-going consultations to develop the project implementation plan (PIP)

Thank You!