As the quotation below from the French AFD reveals, an example of a group of labors in low-cost countries who have long been deprived of equal pay for equal work are women.
The figures speak for themselves: 70% of people living on less than a dollar a day are women, as are two-thirds of illiterates. In certain countries, 50% of women are victims of violence. Women produce 50% of food and two-thirds of global labor, but only earn 10% of incomes. Women are discriminated against in all areas of society: employment, education, health, and governance. Yet they contribute to the development of countries through their work. A number of studies have demonstrated that reducing gender inequalities contributes to the equitable and sustainable development of countries.
Go to the ADF site to see the French government’s gender and development strategies. Reflect on the data in the quote above and on France’s strategies to combat these violations of compensatory justice as you respond to the Key Questions.
- What are specific ethical pitfalls that underlie the French mitigation strategies?
- How can your company leverage concessions from offshore providers to ensure progress in mitigating these pitfalls?
- Which virtues would your company’s leadership need to demonstrate in order to accept responsibility to better these workers’ situations and to implement mitigation strategies for the ethical inequities?
- Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.”. Verse 17, preceding this one, discussed the Elders in the church who do their work and should be well paid for that, since they are teaching and preaching. “Faithful church leaders should be supported and appreciated” (Tyndale, 2007, p. 1934).
