In this paper I use trade elasticities of gender equality to study the impact of trade liberalization on gender equality with regards to EU-Vietnamese trade. Based on the elasticities I argue that increased trade between Vietnam and the EU has had a very limited impact on gender equality in Vietnam during the studied period (2000-2010) because of a variety of reasons including gender norms in Vietnam limiting women from making use of the possibilities trade expansion brings, Vietnamese exports becoming more capital intensive and providing less job opportunities for women as well as the gender wage gap potentially increasing as a result of foreign investment The paper argues that a key factor in the limited positive impact of trade expansion on gender equality is the inconsistency of EU external policy. My research adds to existing research arguing that EU trade policy does not take gender into account, while EU development cooperation policy stresses the importance of the EU supporting gender equality in its external actions.

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Staveren, Irene van
hdl.handle.net/2105/10827
International Political Economy and Development (IPED)
International Institute of Social Studies

Flemming, Matilda. (2011, December 15). Gender Just Trade? The Impact of Trade Liberalization on Gender Equality with regards to EU-Vietnamese Trade. International Political Economy and Development (IPED). Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/2105/10827