The Current Trade Paradigm and Women's Health Concerns in India: With Special Reference to the Proposed EU-India Free Trade Agreement

Abstract

India is currently negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with the European Union, which includes not only liberalization of commodity trading, but also a wide range of chapters including deep services trade liberalization, full investment liberalization, and stricter IPR conditions than the TRIPS norms. As trade is an engine of growth and development, India’s trade policy has many goals to meet. India shows high poverty level, increasing income and social inequalities as well as deep seated gender inequalities. Health is an area of special concern in the context of gender inequalities. Arguably, where there is a constraint on health care access, whether due to education, income or location, women experience a greater constraint compared to men. Since the EU India FTA covers many areas which are known to have serious implications for health, this needs detailed analysis. Liberalisation of health services coupled with investment liberalization, TRIPS plus provisions in the IPR chapter are some concern areas and can affect the access to medicines and treatment, as well as to food. In addition, the way deep trade liberalization uses women’s labour and imposes adverse working conditions on them is another aspect which must be taken into account. Domestic policy space at the disposal of the Indian government to address gender inequalities and change the social structure, can also be undermined the FTA. Therefore, an analysis and evaluation of health impacts of this FTA on Indian women is necessary. The need to indicate suitable policy interventions, both in the trade agreement and in the domestic socio economic environment, to maintain and encourage women’s access to health and healthcare, is undeniable. This study is an attempt to provide such an analysis in simple terms.