Women in the Banana Export Industry Regional Report on Latin America - Working Paper Series - May 2015

Aug 27, 2026

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Women in the Banana Export Industry Regional Report on Latin America synthesizes research from Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua on gendered employment in banana export operations. It examines women’s access to plantation tasks, segregation into packing-shed roles, and the low regional employment share. The report details workplace and home challenges including agrochemical exposure risks to reproductive health, sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination, limited childcare, and compounded domestic burdens. It proposes consultations, training access improvements, and multi-stakeholder strategies for decent work.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages52

Reading Time2 h 11 min

AccessFree to download

Summary

Introduction

Research scope and purpose

Methodology

Background I: Historical & Cultural context

Background II: The Banana Export Industry today

Employment of women

Participation of women in the banana industry

Pathways to employment: recruitment and training

Roles for women workers

Contracts and length of working week

Trade union representation

Problems faced by women in the workplace and in the home

Remuneration

Health and Safety

Treatment of women in the workplace and sexual harassment

Women's reproductive rights

Women's double and triple workload

Initiatives to promote decent work for women banana workers

Employment of women

Treatment of women

Conclusions

Bibliography

Consulted websites

Terminology

Annex 1

Annex 2

Annex 3

Women in the Banana Export Industry Regional Report on Latin America Working paper-Series for the World Banana Forum by Anna Cooper, Banana Link May 2015 Summary Women in the Banana Export Industry Regional Report on Latin America is part of a global report on the economic aspects of gender issues in the banana sector. It is based on research conducted in Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua with a primary focus on the situation for hired labour and analyses levels of women’s employment in the region and the key challenges for women workers. The report will inform the work of the World Banana Forum1. The average proportion of women employed in the Latin American banana industry is 12.5%, although this varies within and between countries. A key reason for this low rate of women's employment in the sector is the limited access of women to the whole range of work tasks on the plantation. Women tend to be restricted to work in the'more controlled environment' of the packing shed in part due to the gender stereotyping of women. Many field tasks are perceived to be too technically difficult or too physically demanding for women to undertake but tend to be better paid. Women are viewed primarily as domestic actors and childcare providers. The occupational health and safety risks for women identified are particularly those related to the effects of agrochemical exposure on reproductive health. Other problems faced by women workers are sexual harassment, discrimination when pregnant, a lack of childcare provision and the additional burdens faced by women managing childcare, domestic duties and in some cases, trade union activity. A lack of access to training (in skills required to undertake field tasks) is an obstacle to women accessing employment. It is recommended that women are consulted to assess which tasks they can do and that this learning could inform guidance for employers. The initiatives led by women trade unionists throughout the region are highlighted as some examples of best practice in terms of increasing and improving employment for women. Company practices to improve women’s treatment in the workplace, such as the only sexual harassment policy in the region (adopted by Chiquita), are also assessed. It is noted that the socio economic impact of the low proportion of women’s employment, especially given the high rate of women as single heads of household, requires analysis. The report concludes by recommending the World Banana Forum as a multi stakeholder environment in which (the Women’s Secretariats of) independent trade unions and companies can work together to develop and share strategies to increase the provision of Decent Work for women in the banana sector. 1 The World Banana Forum is a permanent space of assembly for participants representing the global banana supply-chain to promote open dialogue on challenges facing the banana industry ([http://www.fao.org/economic/worldbananaforum/en/\#.Vl7x6XbhCUk](http://www.fao.org/economic/worldbananaforum/en/#.Vl7x6XbhCUk)) Table of contents Summary page 2 List of Graphics page 4 List of Tables Page 4 Introduction page 5 Methodology page 5 Acknowledgements page 6 Background I: Historical & Cultural context page 7 Background II: The Banana Export Industry today page 8 1. Employment of women 1.1. Participation of women in the banana industry page 9 1.2. Pathways to employment: recruitment and training page 11 1.3. Roles for women workers page 12 1.4. Contracts and length of working week page 15 1.5. Trade union representation page 15 2. Problems faced by women in the workplace and in the home 2.1. Remuneration page 16 2.2. Health and Safety page 16 2.3. Treatment of women in the workplace and sexual harassment page 18 2.4. Women's reproductive rights page 18 2.5. Women's double and triple workload page 19 3. Initiatives to promote decent work for women banana workers 3.1. Employment of wom

FAQs

What countries and what focus areas does the report cover?

The report is based on research in Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua, focusing on hired labour and women’s employment levels and key challenges for women workers in the banana sector.

Why is women’s employment in the Latin American banana industry low?

The report attributes the low proportion to women’s limited access to the full range of plantation tasks, with gender stereotyping restricting many women to the packing shed and field tasks perceived as too technically difficult or physically demanding.

What health and workplace risks are highlighted for women workers?

The report identifies occupational health and safety risks tied to agrochemical exposure affecting reproductive health, alongside problems such as sexual harassment, discrimination when pregnant, and barriers including lack of childcare and additional burdens from combined roles.

Aug 27, 2026

Upload by Jacob