Summary
The study uses data collected by the better work programme between 2010 and 2016 in apparel factories in Jordan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Nicaragua, and Haiti. Using a Difference-in- Difference approach, the authors estimate the effect of the programme on hourly pay and weekly hours of work, voicing of concerns ( excess overtime and low pay to sexual harassment, verbal, and
physical abuse),
promotion rates, as well as physical and mental health indexes. Workers’ voicing of concerns and
complaints ranges from issues of excess overtime and low pay to sexual harassment, verbal, and
physical abuse. The authors present one data set for each country, and estimate effects for the entire sample, as well as specifically for male/female workers, female workers with and without children and female workers with higher and lower education. They found Positive change for take-home in Indonesia, Vietnam, Jordan, and Haiti, while hours of work decrease especially in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Jordan. Women with children and women with lower levels of formal education emerge as the most vulnerable groups. They conclude that vertical gender segregation is systemic in the industry and particularly resistant to change and recommend exploring ways to foster more inclusive leadership.