Women

Goldsmith, R. (2002). Free trade, fair trade and women. Women & Environments International Magazine, (54), 36.

Focuses on topics discussed at a forum on Free Trade/Fair Trade at the Older Women's Network Co-op on January 27, 2002 in Toronto, Ontario. Increase in employment rate in third world counties; Impact of free trade on garment workers in Canada; Concerns about women workers; Actions to be taken by individuals and organizations to democratize global trade agreements.

Greig, D. (2006). Shea butter: Connecting rural burkinabè women to international markets through fair trade. Development in Practice, 16(5), 465-475.

Processed by rural West African women and desired by wealthy Northern consumers of natural beauty products, shea butter seems a prime candidate for fair trade, yet to date there has been little study of the industry. This article analyses the opportunities and constraints of the development of fair-trade exports of shea butter from Burkina Faso, taking into account the context in which shea is produced and sold locally and internationally, the concept of fair trade, and the impact of gender relations on shea production. Although a definitive positive or negative determination cannot be made, given the complex and divergent factors affecting the potential international market and the production process, the author finds that the development of the fair-trade shea butter industry in Burkina Faso has great potential. However, such development must occur with restraint and consideration of possible challenges and limitations, in order to remain sustainable and viable for rural female producers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hanson, L., & Terstappen, V. (2009). Collaboration on contentious issues: Research partnerships for gender equity in nicaragua's fair trade coffee cooperatives. Journal of Agromedicine, 14(2), 105-111.

This paper explores prevailing views on research partnerships, and also questions the applicability of partnership models using an emerging research program around gender equity and health in Fair Trade coffee cooperatives in Nicaragua as an example. Moreover, the paper introduces some of the complicated issues facing the authors as they attempt to develop and expand partnerships in this research area. The paper culminates with a series of strategies that the authors plan to use that offer alternative ways of thinking about building research partnerships concerning controversial or complex issues in the field of community health and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]