The first mile of global value chain governance: Empowering women and reducing gender-based violence through third-party interventions

Abstract

Despite increasing attention to research on equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and Sustainable Development Goals (e.g., SDG 5), women’s experiences in low-income countries affected by global value chain (GVC) activities remain insufficiently explored in mainstream international business research. Evidence indicates that women frequently encounter poor working conditions and insecure employment arrangements within many GVCs. In response, various GVC actors—including multinational corporations (MNCs) or lead firms, governments, and NGOs—are seeking to improve gender equality and women’s empowerment through third-party interventions. However, prior research shows that these interventions often fail to benefit women and can sometimes exacerbate their conditions, particularly in the first mile of GVCs, where institutional contexts are especially fragile. These fragile contexts are marked by pervasive gender discrimination, widespread conflicts and violence, and weak legal and regulatory frameworks that fail to protect women’s rights and hinder their empowerment. This raises a crucial question for scholars and practitioners: under what conditions do third-party interventions effectively enhance women’s empowerment and reduce gender-based violence in the first mile of GVCs? To address this research question, my supervisor and I have partnered with IMPACT, a Canadian non-governmental organization, to analyze primary data from three projects in three African countries. This collaboration provides us with a unique opportunity to access remote and marginalized communities within GVCs. My thesis seeks to advance our theoretical understanding of third-party interventions and the root causes of barriers to women’s empowerment in fragile contexts. We aim to develop and empirically validate hypotheses that will advance scholarship on GVC governance by providing a more comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing the inclusion and effectiveness of third-party interventions. Our findings will benefit NGOs by offering insights that enhance the rigor of their experimental design and social impact assessment within GVCs. Additionally, these findings will equip MNC managers with the knowledge to implement socially conscious and responsible business practices throughout GVCs. Lastly, these evidence-based recommendations will interest policymakers and donor agencies that fund and support various international development projects worldwide, aiming to achieve gender equality (e.g., SDG 5) and promote multi-stakeholder collaboration and partnership (e.g., SDG 17).