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Female wages in the apparel industry post-MFA : the cases of Cambodia and Sri Lanka

Author

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  • Savchenko, Yevgeniya
  • Acevedo, Gladys Lopez
Abstract
The end of the Multi-fiber Arrangement/Agreement on Textiles and Clothing in 2005 was a major policy change that affected the allocation of global apparel productions well as the lives of workers involved in this sector. Since the apparel industry is often the major female employer in developing countries, this policy change was expected to have major implications for women. This paper analyzes the wages and working conditions of women in the apparel sector in Cambodia and Sri Lanka following the phase-out the Multi-fibre Arrangement. In both countries, apparel is a major source of exports, and women constitute 70 to 80 percent of the workers employed in the apparel industry. The paper finds that after the removal of the Multi-fibre Arrangement, apparel prices declined as a result of the increased competition. The theoretical model suggests that a decrease in prices would lead to a decrease in apparel wage premiums relative to other industries in the short run and the widening of the male-female wage gap in the long run. The empirical findings support these theoretical predictions. Wage premiums in the apparel sector relative to other industries went down post-Multi-fibre Arrangement in Cambodia and Sri Lanka and the male-female wage gap increased. The paper finds mixed results in terms of working conditions in Cambodia and Sri Lanka.

Suggested Citation

  • Savchenko, Yevgeniya & Acevedo, Gladys Lopez, 2012. "Female wages in the apparel industry post-MFA : the cases of Cambodia and Sri Lanka," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6061, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:6061
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cornelia Staritz, 2011. "Making the Cut? Low-Income Countries and the Global Clothing Value Chain in a Post-Quota and Post-Crisis World," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2547.
    2. Raymond Robertson & Drusilla Brown & Gaëlle Pierre & María Laura Sanchez-Puerta, 2009. "Globalization, Wages, and the Quality of Jobs : Five Country Studies," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2654.
    3. Meenu Tewari, 2008. "Deepening Intraregional Trade and Investment in South Asia: The Case of the Textiles and Clothing Industry," Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, New Delhi Working Papers 213, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, New Delhi, India.
    4. Kaoru Natsuda & Kenta Goto & John Thoburn, 2010. "Challenges to the Cambodian Garment Industry in the Global Garment Value Chain," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 22(4), pages 469-493, September.
    5. Meenu Tewari, 2008. "Deepening Intraregional Trade and Investment in South Asia - The Case of the Textiles and Clothing Industry," Trade Working Papers 22265, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research.
    6. Gladys Lopez-Acevedo & Raymond Robertson, 2012. "Sewing Success? Employment, Wages, and Poverty following the End of the Multi-Fibre Arrangement," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 13137.
    7. Robertson, Raymond, 2004. "Relative prices and wage inequality: evidence from Mexico," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(2), pages 387-409, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Prema-chandra Athukorala & Raveen Ekanayake, 2014. "Repositioning in the Global Apparel Value Chain in the Post-MFA Era: Strategic Issues and Evidence from Sri Lanka," Departmental Working Papers 2014-17, The Australian National University, Arndt-Corden Department of Economics.
    2. Zhihong Chen & Jabbar Ul-Haq & Hubert Visas & Ahmed Raza Cheema, 2019. "Globalization and Working Environment Nexus: Evidence From Pakistan," SAGE Open, , vol. 9(2), pages 21582440198, May.
    3. Prema†chandra Athukorala & Raveen Ekanayake, 2018. "Repositioning in the global apparel value chain in the post†MFA era: Strategic issues and evidence from Sri Lanka," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(S1), pages 247-269, March.
    4. Jabbar Ul-Haq & Hubert Visas & Seyedrohollah Ahmadi & Ahmed Raza Cheema, 2020. "Female Earnings in the Apparel Industry Post-MFA: Evidence From Pakistan," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(2), pages 21582440209, May.
    5. Nathalie Homlong & Elisabeth Springler, 2016. "Cambodiaʼs Garment Industry and Labor Conditions - A Showcase for Social Sustainability, or not better than its Neighbors?," Athens Journal of Business & Economics, Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER), vol. 2(1), pages 33-46, January.
    6. World Bank, 2013. "Where Have All the Poor Gone? : Cambodia Poverty Assessment 2013," World Bank Publications - Reports 17546, The World Bank Group.

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    Keywords

    Free Trade; Labor Policies; Labor Markets; Water and Industry; Work&Working Conditions;
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