Gender Injustice—An International Comparative Analysis of Equality in Employment

Of the 1.3 billion living in poverty around the world, over 70 percent are women. Mooney Cotter (Law Society of Ireland) examines how laws and policies, particularly those relating to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the European Union Treaty, affect pay and access to employment for women. She finds that conditions are determined more by cultures and global market conditions than by laws or policies. She also finds that while opportunities for employment have opened up, pay rates remain comparatively low for women and they are still often found in temporary or unstable positions. She examines UN and treaty policy and compares these to conditions in Australia and New Zealand, Africa and South Africa, the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK and Ireland, and finds that while societal factors are important, more rigorous implementation and development of laws that correct gender injustice are critical. Annotation c2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Anne-Marie Mooney Cotter, Attorney/Solo Practitioner of the Social Security Disability Law Firm, USA