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BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Oxfam together with partners are implementing a 5-year program on “Improved social protection and labor rights for women workers in ASEAN’s Agri-food Sector (2022-2026)” in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, funded by the Belgian Directorate General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD). The program aims to empower precarious women workers in Agri-food Sector to address their rights, needs and vulnerabilities through the promotion of 3 pillars of the Joint Strategic Framework on Decent Work: Labor Rights at Work, Social Protection and Social Dialogue for All.

The agri-food sector is an important part of the informal economy in ASEAN. This sector includes small-holder farmers, street vendors, farm workers, food processing company workers, restaurants, and supermarkets workers. When taking small-holder farms and unpaid work into account, women are more present in this sector than men. The agri-food sector employs among the least protected workers, keeping them in the lowest income categories with little prospects to improve, while inequality increases. Their representation by women leaders is thus crucial to ensure that their voices are heard and their rights are upheld. Towards this end, the project aims to support existing women leaders in enhancing their leadership practice, especially from a feminist perspective, and to inspire potential women to step in position of leadership in their respective communities and sectors through the organization of a women-only feminist retreat.