Women in Industry SeriesWOMEN,INDUSTRY ANDTECHNOLOGYSample casesUNITED NATIONS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONMessage from the Chairperson ofUNIDO’s Task Force onPreparations for theFourth World Conference on WomenThroughout the world, women make a vital contri-bution to industrial output. Over 200 million women areemployed across all industry sectors, with half of thisnumber in developing countries. Their work not only sus-tains their families, but also makes a major contribution tosocio-economic progress. Most women are employed inlow-skilled, poorly paid positions, where they are often ex-posed to health hazards. On the other hand, we are seeingthe advance of an increasing number of highly educatedwomen into senior decision-making positions. The creativityand talents of all women are an invaluable resource, whichcan and should be developed both for their own self-realization and for the benefit of society as a whole.The key to enhancing women’s opportunities, andhence their position in industry and the economy, is to pro-vide them with access to know-how, technologies andcredit. Training to upgrade women’s technological capabili-ties and to enhance their entrepreneurial and businessskills, whether in simple artisanal production or in high-technology industries, is at the heart of allowing women toadvance to more rewarding positions. All these activitiesare an integral part of UNIDO’s technical assistance pro-grammes. The case-studies presented in this series of bro-chures demonstrate that women can not only succeed insectors where traditionally they have had a strong pres-ence, but can also reach leading positions in sectors thatwere previously believed to be the exclusive domain ofmen. They also show that technological solutions can di-rectly benefit women by improving their living and workingconditions, particularly in sectors where they tend to beconcentrated.UNIDO is committed to sustainable industrial develop-ment as a means of achieving economic prosperity, ahealthy environment, and integration of all groups insociety. It is our firm belief that enabling the full contribu-tion of both men and women, in all sectors of industry, isindispensable for attaining this objective.(Mrs.) A. Tcheknavorian-AsenbauerWOMEN, INDUSTRY ANDTECHNOLOGYThe world economy is undergoing a period of rapid change,with important impacts on women. Globalization and increasingcompetition are favouring technology-intensive production andskilled labour. Automation and advances in information techno-logy are reducing the importance of the low-skill, labour-intensive occupations in sectors such as agriculture and textileswhich have traditionally been seen as women’s work.Women in industry are already disadvantaged in manycountries. Although they comprise 30 per cent of the industriallabour force globally, they tend to be concentrated in low-leveljobs, where they are poorly paid, lack social services, and faceexposure to health hazards. If their skills are not upgraded toenable their full participation in the technology-based industriesof the future, women are likely to face further disadvantages infinding and keeping jobs. Where retraining programmes do exist,they are all too often focused on men.On the other hand, when women are given access to training,technology and credit, they can play a full role in economic andsocial development. Changes in industrial structure andproduction technology give women great opportunities forpoverty alleviation, self-sufficiency through income generation,and productive businesses that create local employment.For women, the issue of technology is not simply aboutupgrading skills, but acquiring new and more appropriatetechnologies. For example, the majority of women who live inrural areas use rudimentary and time-consuming technologies intheir informal production activities, which are typically in theagricultural sector. Many existing technologies also contribute tounsafe working environments or environmental degradation,where women are often particularly at risk (see the UNIDObrochure Women, industry and Environment).Introducing new and appropriate technologies can not onlysimplify work, reduce drudgery and help improve workingconditions and the environment, but also create and improveincome-generating activities for women. There are threeobstacles, however, which hinder equitable use of newtechnologies by women:Access. Women have less access than men to cleaner,safer and more efficient technologies;Credit. Despite evidence that women’s loan repayment ratesare higher than men’s, women still face more difficulties inobtaining credit for new technologies;Training. Women are less often trained in the operation,maintenance and repair of new and improved technologies.UNIDO’s programmes help women overcome these obstacles,by building awareness of alternative techniques; developingskills and capabilities for operating and applying new techno-logies; and developing and transferring technological solutions.The projects go beyond the technologies themselves, however,and also help to develop the institutional and policy infra-structures necessary to support the introduction of new techno-logiesCentre for Electromagnetics in lndiaThe role of UNIDOUNIDO assists women in meeting the challenges of industrialrestructuring and technological change, and in participating onan equal basis both in industrial decision-making and in thebenefits of development. UNIDO promotes the advancement ofwomen through mainstreaming, recognizing women as full actorsand equal partners in development activities and trainingprogrammes. There are also specific programmes and servicesto remove obstacles preventing the full participation of women indevelopment. These are initiated by UNIDO’s Integration ofWomen in Industrial Development Unit, established in 1986.UNIDO’s approaches are illustrated in the following casestudies.Case 1: Manufacturing Plastics in Viet Nam. Women makeup 60-70 per cent of plastics workers, often in unskilledpositions. UNIDO helped set up the Plastics TechnologyCentre, which helps give women new opportunities byimproving their skills.Case 2: Women in the African Leather Industry. Womenplay an important role in the industry, but often have poorskills and inadequate equipment. UNIDO’s leather project ishelping them obtain skills, jobs and equipment in eight Africancountries.Case 3: Marble in Ethiopia. Marble is traditionally seen as aman’s industry.