Analyzing Neoliberalism and Globalization's Effects on Women

This essay analyzes the effects of neoliberalism and globalization on women, exploring how these forces intersect with poverty and other forms of oppression. It examines feminist perspectives on economic globalization, highlighting the concept of intersectionality and the feminization of poverty. The essay discusses the direct impacts of neoliberal policies on women, including their experiences in the workforce, the 'underside of globalization' related to trafficking, and the challenges faced by women seeking asylum. It also addresses the role of religious fundamentalism and its impact on gender-based health injustices, such as access to abortion. The essay concludes by emphasizing the need for greater representation and participation of women to ensure their voices and experiences are acknowledged and that the benefits of globalization are fully realized for women's well-being and development. The paper also refers to the study of the narratives of women refugees and their experiences in the UK asylum system.

Running head: NEOLIBERLISM AND GLOBALIZATION
NEOLIBERLISM AND GLOBALIZATION
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Economic globalization refers to the developments of global financial integration
which began in the late 20th century instigated by the neoliberal ideals (Vives-Cases et al.,
2015). Entrenched in the traditional liberal economic thought, neoliberalism asserts that a
chiefly free-for-all capitalist economy symbolizes the ideal of unrestricted individual choice
as well as capitalizes on economic productivity and progress, technological development and
distributive justice (Burn, 2013). Feminist theorists claim that economic globalization should
be comprehended in relation to the impacts it has made on women, who are positioned in a
disproportionate proportion of the global poor. The essay will analyse ways in which
economic globalisation and poverty intersect with other types of oppression. Also, it will
explain ways in which women are directly impacted by neoliberalism and globalization.
The key aspect of feminist approaches to economic globalization is an importance on
feminist methodologies. Furthermore, these approaches are likely to represent three key
methodological assurances. The first is linked to intersectionality, which chiefly upholds that
systems of oppression tend to intersect with forms of oppressions like social injustices. As a
result, gender injustices cannot be comprehended solely in relation to sex or sexual
characteristics. According to Vives-Cases et al. (2015), feminist theoretical understanding
which posits justice on the domestic level claim that the experiences encountered by women
of sexual oppression are mainly influenced by other forms of oppression related to ethnicity,
class, disability as well as sexual orientation. Furthermore, as per feminist perspective of
globalization, it is argued that gender oppression interrelates to these systems of oppression,
in addition to other forms of systematic detriment that rise within the global context (Hobbs
& Rice, 2018). Moreover, there is an increasing concern about the aspect of feminization of
poverty as well as the impact that globalization is having on this vital social issue. Okşak and
Koyuncu (2017) have claimed that gender inequality tends to persist in all regions wherein
women and young girls continue to be over-represented amongst the poor population of the

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world. This puts forward that women are not constantly getting aided by the economic,
political as well as social gains which globalization offers. On the other hand, it appears that
economically deprived women, mainly those living in emerging countries, are experiencing
high burdens by the expenses of these rapid alterations to the damage of their personal health
conditions (Burn,2013). Furthermore, women tend to absorb significant portion of the
consequential adversity as they usually remain to fill the care gaps the reorganizations
through globalization tend to generate. Hughes (1987) mentions in Insight 2 that women the
poverty which they experience is due to their own faults and seeks help to deal with this self-
hatred. “I believe inside myself that I was (am) a bad person where I was (am) poor. I know
better in my head.”
On the other hand, the globalization of domestic and care work has led to an
increasing number of women join the workforce. However, even though they experience
decent work conditions, on a critical side they encounter extensive abuse which involved
forced confinement, excessive level of work pressure in addition to physical, social as well as
psychological and sexual abuse. Burn (2013) has claimed that globalization is not simply
driven by trade openness and FDI. Several other aspects of globalisation linked to easier and
low-priced travel and communication prospects have been increasing the rate of forced labour
of women employees in the form of sexual as well as other trafficking to developed nation
which has been termed as the ‘underside of globalisation’ by the ILO (Hobbs & Rice, 2018).
Controlled choices as well as occasions potentially characterize the state of women who show
resistance in accepting the immigration status. Although the UK asylum system claims to
offer security, women revealed unsafe and persecutory situations to be part of the system. In
consequence, the narratives of migrated women position the UK asylum system in a
miserable and intolerant attacker of human rights (Smith, 2015). On the other hand, in the
opinion of Hobbs and Rice (2018), completely stopping trafficking is challenging due to the

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growing demands and consistent supply of potential victims of poverty to give opportunities
for sustenance. At this juncture, the only way to lessen the demand is through the fear and
prosecution of perpetrators (Baru & Mohan, 2018). This method will need strong support and
assistance from the governments of all the countries facing the issue.
Neo-liberalism supports and endorses the free distribution of traded goods and of
capital. According to Hobbs and Rice (2018), neo-liberalism opposes rules and regulations of
government of factors related to income, working conditions and health services as well as
environmental protections. Neoliberalism intersects as well as redefines the role of state as
well as commercialised health facilities resulting in creating as an initiator of gender-based
health discriminations. The rise of religious fundamentalisms is considered as a radical
development of neoliberalism which is subjective to the dissatisfactions of liberalisation as
well as globalisation. According to Baru and Mohan (2018), one of the highly extensive
outcomes of religious intrusion towards gender-based wellbeing injustices is the preventable
and stoppable death and illness that arise from unsafe abortion in spite of the accessibility of
progressive medical expertise for harmlessly ending pregnancy. In several countries across
the world, the use of abortion facilities are limited and forbidden on dutiful grounds,
compelling women to use insecure and unlawful abortions, in that way threat their lives and
health conditions (Hobbs & Rice, 2018). The discussion regarding access to abortion
facilities arranges the religious consideration of choices of women.
To conclude, as globalization will undoubtedly continue, the aforementioned issues
show likelihood of increasing in the upcoming years. Thus, without improved and superior
participation as well as representation, the awareness, opinions as well as involvements of
several women in the entire world will continue to be mistreated as well as ignored. Most
importantly, the constructive impact which globalization will have on the wellbeing, health as
well as development of women will fail to be fully recognized.

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Hughes, N. (1987). Why I Can't Write About Class. Fireweed, (25), 21.
OKŞAK, Y., & Koyuncu, J. Y. (2017). Does globalization affect female labor force
participation: Panel evidence. Journal of Economics Bibliography, 4(4), 381-387.
Smith, K. (2015). Stories told by, for, and about women refugees: Engendering
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