Economy, FDI and Hydropower Sector in Laos

Economy, FDI and Hydropower Sector in Laos Background: Generally speaking, hydropower has various economical, environmental and social and strategic advantages. The hydropower is the largest renewable resource used for electricity and Hydropower is a significant source of electricity worldwide and will likely continue to grow especially in the developing countries. Thus it plays an essential role in economical development especially in many developing countries. Like many countries the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) or Laos is in trend in receiving foreign investment mainly in hydropower sector which comparing by sector from 2000-2010 hydropower sector account more than 33% in total investment (MPI, Laos). Laos nature and climate provide mammoth opportunities for the country to develop hydropower sector which in recent year there has been increased demand for electric power in the region of South-East Asia, however less than 2 percent of the hydropower potential has been developed in Laos over the past 30 years (Laos National Statistic in 2007). During the last few years, the hydropower sector has played an important role in the speedy economic growth of the country recently has experienced, more than 70 hydropower projects are under development, and the hydropower sector makes up an significant part of the export industry in Laos. As the government set the economic outlook from now the year 2020, the National Development Vision to the Year 2020 is to graduate from the status of being a least developed country and become sustainable development nation. To reach and achieve such vision, Laos needs the capital and invests in the human resource capacity, as Laos Government lack of these things. Thus, the foreign investment especially in hydropower sector is playing an important role in increasing the governments revenue (capital generation), job creations and new business system introducing. The hydropower sector is playing the significant role in the Laos economic and social development, the investment law in 1994 introduced the huge incentives mainly tax incentives in order to attract more investment, the question is that are these incentives really work and attract more investment into Laos? Or how did the investment incentive policies effect to hydropower sector in Laos? Thus, the objective or thesis statement of this paper is to analysis the effective of incentive policies offered by government of Laos in attracting investment mainly hydropower sector into Laos. The scope of this paper is not go back beyond the investment law introduced in 1994, but it starts to introduce some basic information about Laos such as the basic information about population, land area, religions and so on (See the Laos at Glance in the table 1 below) and the investment incentive policies provided by the government of Laos. Many scholars explained that, market size and cost of production is the key in attracting investment. Krugman (1991a) argues that the interaction of market, transport costs, and fixed investment costs determines the location of industry. In the Morissets article (2003, p. 253), the impact of tax incentives on FDI is not obvious that it can help in promoting investment. In the past few decades the numerous studies of international investors have indicated that the investment incentive policies are not major factor in their investment location decision. More important factors such as infrastructure, political stability, labor and the cost of production, however in this study is going to explain and provide evidences that investment incentive policies provided by government are the key factor in attracting investment in the case of Laos. Most of the data and information using in here are mainly from the concerning ministries in the Laos as essential. Thus, once again, the scope of this thesis is not covering all aspects of the economic development in country; it will focus only on the laws and regulations applied to foreign investment especially in hydropower sector. Furthermore, there is no any hypothesis test in this paper, as the objective of the paper is to analyze and examine the effective of the Strategic Investment Promotion for Laos. The main study shall be identifying the issues of using incentive policies and drawing out the strategic policies for recommendations. In order to make this paper easy to read and complete, this paper is developed into four chapters. The chapter one is the introduction chapter, where the general information, thesis statement and scope of this paper are drawn. The second chapter is literature reviews related to the foreign investment policies. The third chapter will focuses on overview of Laos economy, FDI and Hydropower Sector in the economic and social development in Laos. In this chapter, the data and figures are illustrated in order to see how changing in hydropower sector in Laos through the policies and incentives offering, plus more specific study on the comparative study, which will focuses on the analyzing of the incentive and disincentive on foreign direct investment. The last chapter is conclusion and recommendations approaches. In this chapter, the policies recommendations are drawn. Then the last part of the paper is the references. Lao PDR at a Glance (Table 1) Name Lao Peoples Democratic Republic Surface Area Population total: 236,800 sq km, land: 230,800 sq km, water: 6,000 sq km 1995 census: 4,574,848 (2007 estimate: 6,677,534) Density 25 people per sq km Land Boundaries total: 5,083 km Borders Myanmar 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423km, Thailand 1,754 km, Viet Nam 2,130 km Languages Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages Climate Tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) Religion Buddhist 65 percent , animist 32.9 percent , Christian 1.3 percent, other and unspecified 0.8 percent (1995 census) Time Zone UTC+7 Currency Kip (LAK) Exchange Rates As of October 6th, 2008 : 1 Dollar: 8560 Kips 1 Euro: 11680 Kips GDP 39,284 billion Kips (Nominal, 2007 estimate) 4.1 US$ billion GDP per Capita 604 USS (2006) Source: Economic Research Department, MPI, Laos, 2007 Chapter II: Literature Review Foreign Direct Investment Policy Recently, many scholars try to explain and point out the factors for foreign investment location decision in developing countries. On the other hand there are many studies and articles related the FDI and its policies in developing countries. The developing countries try to develop their investment policies and strategic plan in order to attract the foreign investment In the article of Shaukat Ali and Wei Guo (2005) explained the behavior of MNCs in China, with its huge potential market size as the most important factor for attracting FDI to China, with its large population, steady economic growth, trade integrations are the perfect combination in attracting FDI. The authors further point out that the Chinese Government incentive policies are another important factor In the article of Ekrem Tatoglu (2002), it is was found that market size, openness of the economy, and infrastructure of the host country had positive effect, but the lack of exchange rate and economic stability had negative effect but not significant, however to some extent, it has slowed down its efforts to receive much higher volume of foreign investment. In the Morissets article (2003, pp. 253) point out that the relation between investment policy such as tax incentives and FDI is not the most significant whether it can help the host country in gaining the foreign investment. Over the past few decades they are numerous studies from the international investors have indicated that investment policy such as tax incentives are not the most important factor for investment locations, more important factors such as infrastructure, labor and political stability. However it doesnt mean that the investment policy has no effect on attracting foreign investment, one of the good examples is the Irelands tax incentives which have been recognized as key in attracting foreign investors over the past two decades. Moreover, there has been growing support evidence that investment policy influence the location decisions of companies within regional economic groupings, such as the European Union, North American Free Trade Area, and Association of Southea st Asian Nations. No doubt that market size is important to foreign investment in deciding location but other factors such as the investment policy and institutional framework, are essential in influential a countrys attractiveness to FDI. There are three forms of investment incentive policies: tax incentives, subsidies, export processing zones (EPZs). The investment policy can be favorable to foreign investment or unflavored to foreign investment in order to protect local industries The effect of FDI will depend, in part, on the form that FDI takes. FDI directed to heavily protected industries or attracted by very costly incentives may have a low, or even negative, effect on growth and productivity, Attitudinal and empirical research on the effect of tax incentives on FDI has been inconclusive. In the article of Hearnest (2007, pp.25-30) dedicated that if the investment policy such as tax incentives may be good for a country. This is so if some conditions are contents. First, the investment policy must lead to an increased of inflow in FDI into that country by attracting FDI that would not come without the presence of the incentives. Second, these FDI should contribute to the countrys development by offering returns to the country that more than offset (the returns) the foregone tax revenue in form of tax incentives granted to the investors. When trying to find out who should qualify for the tax incentives in Tanzania therefore, the work will focus on some types of investments that would not come to Tanzania without the presence of the incentives, but have the potential of contributing positively to the development of the country. As for who should not qualify, a focus will be on those investments that would come in any circumstance (in this case the absence of tax incentiv es). FDI determinants that MNEs look for are the presence of economic, political and social stability; and rules regulating entry and operations of businesses. Others are standards of treatment of foreign affiliates; business facilitation (including, inter-alia, investment incentives and thereby tax incentives; market size, growth, structure and accessibility; raw materials, low cost but efficient labour force and physical infrastructure in form of ports, roads, power and telecommunication. Specific incentives may not be main determinants of a countrys attractiveness to FDI. A countrys general economic and political conditions, domestic market, natural and other resources may be more important than some specific incentives. However various incentives have been found to influence investments. Since specific incentives may not be main determinants of a countrys attractiveness to FDI. A countrys general economic and political conditions, domestic market, natural and other resources may be more important than some specific incentives. However various incentives have been found to influence investments. In the conclusion for the literature reviews, there are both advantages and disadvantages by offering the investment incentives policy from the host countries to the foreign investors. However, most of the articles presented in there seem to support the investment incentives policy (tax incentives) offered by many developing countries. There is no doubt that this form of investment incentives are dominated in many developing from now and in the future, especially the ASEAN nations, particularly Laos. In this context, this paper will lead through the way that investment incentives are really strategic tools for FDI attracting in Laos. CHAPTER III: Overview of Economy, FDI and Hydropower Sector in Laos 3.1 Current Laos Economic Situation As the Lao government set their development goal which aiming to free the country from being least developed country by the Year 2020, it ultimate goal is to graduate from the status of being a least developed country and become sustainable development nation. To achieve the goal, Laos needs the capital and human resource capacity, as Laoss lack of these things. Thus, the Foreign investment especially in hydropower and mining sector are playing an essential role in increasing the governments revenue (capital generation), job creations and so on. Since the Laos government started their economic liberalization, the new economic mechanism (NEM) in 1986, the Government of Laos has made the development of private sector and attraction of the foreign investment as the strategic priority, thus the implementation of investment policies are very important to investment especially in attracting foreign direct investment. With the advantages such as political stability, natural resources, low labor costs, strategic location and incentive investment policies, both domestic and foreign investment has notably evidenced its contribution to the Laos Social Economic Development. Generally the total (public and private) investment mobilized rose significantly from 21.3 percent of GDP in 2001 to about 29 percent in 2005, and averaged at 27.8 percent for the five-year period which mainly from FDI  [1]  . The foreign investment has provided further drive to Laos economic growth. The government of Lao PDR provided good climate for investment, such as infrastructures, telecommunication, political stability, stable macroeconomic condition and law and regulation related to investment. With the Laos National Social and Economic Development Plan (NSEDP), Laos government had achieved to maintain the economic prospect with an average GDP from year 2000 to 2010 approximately about 7.73 percent (see figure 1), mainly benefiting from expanding natural resources within the country. By encouraging Foreign Direct Investment, Laos economy has been gradually increased in many sectors, especially industry sector and services sector, which by 2009 had reached 70 percent of GDP. (See Figure 2 and 3) Industrial sector has grown in recent year with rapid rate, accounted an average rate about 11.3 percent per year. The mining industry increased by 33.87 percent; tobacco 20.75 percent; food processing 9.17 percent; textiles 20.11 percent; and garments 11.15 percent. The services sector has been positively meet the requirements of production and trading, from 2001to 2005, the growth rate in total revenues from services sector accounted an averaged at 10 percent per year.  [2]  According to National Social and Economic Development Plan, in general Government of Laos (GoL) has performed well with its ambitious economic target and strong economic growth which grounding to free the country from the status of least-development country by 2020. Figure 1: Laos real GDP growth in percentage Source: International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Economic Outlook 2010 Figure 2: Laos GDP composition by sector Source: CIA World Fact Book Figure 3: Laos GDP per capita compared by continent Source: International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Economic Outlook 2010 In recent year the Government of Laos (GoL) continue to work hard and try to boost its foreign trade with the aim to increase more in export, the structure of their economic changed with the shares of the private sector and Foreign Investment in the economy have increased. In particular, Foreign Direct Investment has facilitated the creation of new products and increasing size of the markets including the entry of new markets. The number of foreign direct investments and private domestic in the past five years stood at 9.7 billion USD, in which foreign direct investments accounted for 8 billion USD  [3]  . Thus, the private sector has become more and more essential in the economy of the Laos. The Lao PDR has been headed for business in regional and global economic integration. It is vital to Laos economic with its potential in domestic and foreign investors to guarantee the benefits from the liberalization of trade. Being the member of ASEAN, ATFA and WTO applicant providing opportunity for the country in trade and attracting foreign direct investment increasing the market entry by reduced 98 percent of its tariffs (zero to five percent in 2008). However Laos faced the problem of trade imbalance, in the year of 2007 to 2008 the total trade was 2630.9 million USD which number of export only 822.7 million USD (see Table 2) 3.2 Foreign Direct Investment and Hydropower Trends in Laos Foreign direct investment is playing crucial role in Laos economy, with the implementation of Investment Law in 2004 which the Government of Laos (GoL) given huge investment incentive to foreign investors especially tax incentive, as the resulted in 2005 onward the FDI inflow has been significantly increased especially in mining sectors and hydropower sectors. In 2006 the FDI inflow raised up to 2,699 million USD and in 2009 increased more than 4,312 million USD (see figure 4 and figure 5). Figure 4: Foreign Direct Investment in Laos Source: Raw data from Ministry of Planning and Investment, Laos Figure 5: Foreign Direct Investment by Sector 2000-2010(Jun) Source: Raw Data from Ministry of Planning and Investment, Laos Not yet complete 3.3 Analysis Study of Investment Incentives and Disincentives in Laos 3.3.1 Investment Incentives in Laos Tax exemptions from some major industrial nations: Lao receive the trade privileges from European Union such as GSP privilege. Currently, the receiving GSP is from 42 countries from EU, Japan, Canada, Switzerland, Vietnam and etc. Thus, the garment investment sector is still having comparative advantages in attracting many textile companies to invest in Laos. Mostly, investors are from Taiwan, Japan and Thailand. Furthermore, Laos has sign the Normal Trade Relations (NTR) with USA in December 2004. This is the signal for Laos to join the world trade system (membership of WTO is underway). Such membership leads confident for foreign investors doing business in Laos. Land-linked country: This is going to be trade hub in the Southeast Asia region, which has access to ASEAN market with more than 500 million. Inhabitants including southern part of neighboring China, which adds up together reaching nearly 1 billion people, this is going to be the huge market in the world. Currently, the main roads reaching every corner of the international border pointed have been built. In the next five year, Laos can be the transit goods and connect Southeast Asia to the Northeast and Central Asia. Abundant water resources, rich in mineral resources, and plentiful of productive land: Laoss government still enjoys receiving the application for the development of the hydropower dams and mining concession from foreign investors. These two sectors are main attractive sectors for foreign investors around the world. The abundant water resources help Laos to gain more major foreign investors to invest in the hydropower project, which lead Laos to be the electricity supplier or battery of Asia. Furthermore, unexploitations of mining areas are still existed and waiting for right foreign investors to invest in this sector. Most of the mines are gold, copper, coal, tin, Zink and others. Thus, this is another sector that the Lao governments use to promote and attract foreign investors for investing. Moreover, there are plentiful of productive land for foreign investors to do the plantation projects for the industrial plantation such as sugar, palm trees, eucalyptus, and so on. Currently, many big paper companies are investing for the industrial plantation in Laos such as Oji paper factory (Japan), and Birla Pulp Company (India). Laos Economic Zone: Savannakhet Province is a hub of trade and services in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS). The province is linking Lao PDR with Thailand, and Vietnam on the Road No.9. It is also all along the Road No.13 which runs through Lao PDR, leading north into China and South into Cambodia. The construction of Road and bridge will progress develop Savannakhet as a trade and services zone in near future and will bring an expansion of markets which will create further business opportunities for all the economic sectors in Savannakhet province, thus Savannakhet Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) which linking neighboring countries in the Asian region with a total population of more than 500 million people and thus is a main centre for trade and services. The categories of business activities planned to be developing in the Savannakhet Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) include the following: Export Processing Zone; Free Trade Zone; Free Service and Logistic Centre including tourism, banking and other activities. 3.3.2 Disincentive of Investment in Laos Geographic condition (land locked country) and poor infrastructure: Laos has no border with the sea, thus this is only obstacle for the transportation. The cost of transport goods from Laos to the sea port in Thailand or in Vietnam is quite expensive and may take longer time for the goods to reach the destination due to the documentations and unforeseen events that can happen anytime. Furthermore, the infrastructure in Laos is not quite good especially the road condition in some places or provinces. These cause the transportation cost high and the return on investment or profit is not so high as expected. However, with the support from the international financial organization such as ADB and World Bank, the Lao government has put the budget for the infrastructure development for the main route to the sea ports such as Road R3 connecting Thaiiand-Laos-China, the road No. 9 connecting Thailand-Laos-Vietnam, Road No. 13 run through the whole countries from North to South of Laos. The vision of the government is to change Laos as Land-Locked country to the Land-Linked country. By achieving this goal, the cost of transportation will be reducing for sure. Macroeconomic instability: Lao economic is not independent economic system. Directly and indirectly, the economic depends on the changing of the Thai and Vietnamese economic growth. Now, the Lao economic is more likely to depend to the Chinese economic as well now, as the major foreign investors is Chinese investors. The Lao currency (Kip) is none tradable currency, so it depends on the changing of the US dollars and Thai Baht. For instance, when the financial crisis occurred in 1997, supported that Lao can escape from this crisis, however, it hit hardly by the crisis as most of the commodities goods import from Thailand. Thus, when the global crisis hit Thailand, it will directly and indirectly hurt Lao economy. However, Lao government has put more afford to monitoring the economic development in Laos and try to not depending on one country economy such Thailand. Now, the free flow of goods leads Laos to escape from the dependent economic from Thailand. Laos can gain access to the Vietnam and China market now. Small market: Although the economy sounds goods in recent years, but the total expenditure of the Lao people is still low. Most of the markets in Laos are small in size and number of consumers. Most of the big spending on consumers is in the main city, but not in the rural areas. However, most of people in the city cross the border to Thailand in spending for the commodities goods. In recently, the good economic recovered and increasing in FDI inflow in to the country, Lao people spend more money in commodities and luxury goods. Thus, this is the good sign in increasing Lao people spending. In the near future, the Lao small market is going to graduate to the big market soon. Thailand. Now, the free flow of goods leads Laos to escape from the dependent economic from Thailand. Laos can gain access to the Vietnam and China market now. 3.4 Comparative Study of Investment Law (1994 and 2004) 3.4.1 The Investment Law in 1994 Not yet complete 3.4.2 The Investment Law in 2004 Not yet complete Law on the Promotion and Management of foreign Investment in the Lao PDR (1994) Law on the Promotion of Foreign Investment In the Lao PDR (2004) Form   of FDI à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚   2 forms of FDI: a) A joint Venture with one or more domestic Lao Investors b)   A 100% foreign- owned enterprises Exemption from import duties for intermediate components and raw materials imported for processing and re-export; Uniform flat rate of 1% of import value of equipment, means of production, spare parts and other materials used in operation of investment projects; No export duties on finished products; Annual profit tax at a uniform flat rate of 20% Special privileges, including reduction or exemption from theprofit-tax rate, are given based on the size of investments and the significant positive impacts that such investments have on the socio- economic development of Lao PDR; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚   3 forms of FDI: a)   Business Cooperation by contract; b) A joint venture with one or more domestic Lao investors (Foreign equity should not be less than 30% of total investment capital); or c) A 100% foreign- owned enterprise 0% of import duties on production vehicles, machinery, equipment and raw materials No export duties on finished products;    Profit tax is classified into 3 groups: 20%, 15% and 10% and profit tax exemption is offered for a certain period depending on activities, investment areas and size of investment 1) Zone One (area with no economic information infrastructure) 7 years profit tax exemption thereafter a profit tax of 10% 2) Zone Two: (areas with certain level of economic infrastructures) 5 years profit tax exemption 3 years profit tax of 7.5% thereafter a profit tax of 15% 3) Zone Three ( areas with good infrastructure) 2 years profit tax exemption 2 years profit tax of 10% thereafter a profit tax of 20% Other   Incentives Investment term is up to 30 years Freedom to expatriate their earnings back home or to third countries Right to employ foreign expatriates Personal income tax at a flat rate of10% Investment term is up to 75 years Freedom to expatriate their earnings back home or to third countries Right to employ foreign expatriates (not exceed 10% of the enterprises labor) Personal income tax at a flat rate of 10% Source: Ministry of Planning and Investment, Lao PDR Case Study of Foreign Direct Investment on Hydropower Sector in Laos Not yet complete Chapter IV: Conclusion Not yet complete

Lessons from a Third World Perspective on Environmentalism Essay

Lessons from a Third World Perspective on Environmentalism Possibly more than any of the other articles we have read so far, Ramachandra Guha's article "Radical Environmentalism and Wilderness Preservation: A Third World Critique" made me think. In analyzing the Western deep ecology movement, he criticized its focus on preservation of wild areas. By doing this, he was directly criticizing what I have long thought of as my main goal as an "environmentalist." One of the first things that turned me on to environmental issues when I was younger was my horror at the soaring rate of rainforest destruction so dramatically portrayed to us in 9th grade biology class. Since then, by following a biology track through college, my focus has been on ecological goals such as the preservation of biodiversity. The study of ecology has served me as a way to understand wilderness so I might be able to help protect it or restore it. My patterns of thought are often not far off from those of Daniel Janzen, which Guha quotes in his paper as "imperialist yearning of Western biologists and their financial sponsors" to claim land in Third World countries for protection by ecologists (Guha 272). He states his opinion that "the radical conclusions drawn by deep ecology, in particular, that intervention in nature should be guided primarily by the need to preserve biotic integrity rather than by the needs of humans" are unacceptable (271). He also claims that the two "fundamental ecological problems facing the globe are (i) overconsumption by the industrialized world and by urban elites in the Third World and (ii) growing militarization" (271), whereas the biological perspective would c... ...growth instead of material wealth --"The values of caring, cooperation, nurturing and sharing must be encouraged to replace the values of competitiveness, domination and aggression which have characterized our society for so long" --polices must reflect "the interdependence of all living things and the interconnetedness of all political and social activity" (http://www.greenparty.org.uk/principles/values/htm) The list was impressive. And although the Greens seem more prevalent in Europe than in the U.S. - there is an American Greens party - which had Ralph Nader as their presidential candidate in 1996. Maybe the Greens movement could help us meet a wide range of environmental and social goals through its philosophy of humility, instead of following deep ecology's biocentric proposal. I am encouraged to look further into it...

Policy Topic Search and Selection Essay

Policies are everywhere, and have to be followed by all for success. If they are not followed, consequences can occur, which are mostly negative. Policies are also set to ensure the organization’s rules are being followed. Health policy is a statement of a decision regarding goals in health care, and the plan for achieving these goals. Health policy is also known as a field of study and practice where priorities and values dealing with health resource allocation are determined (â€Å"Health Policy,† 2014). In this paper, Women’s Health Policy in regard to the Affordable Care Act will be discussed. The paper will also provide a quick summary of women’s health and the stakeholders affected. Let us begin with the definition of women’s health. Women’s Health Care Women’s health care is hard to define because it is so complex. Women’s health not only deals with adult women, it also deals with young girls and teenagers. If put into words, women’s health care would be defined as the physical and emotional care a woman needs to ensure she has the best quality of life possible. Women’s health care is a new arena in health care that must be clearly stated in the future to improve the health of a population (South Carolina Department of Health, 2013). This is important because women are the child bearers, and the advancement in women’s health care prevents and reduces the burden of illness or disability that affects women at each stage of life, and ultimately improves women health in the United States across the lifespan. Women’s Health Care with the Affordable Care Act Women’s, who includes young and teenage girls are the stakeholders affected by this policy. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) included several measures that are changing the profile of women’s coverage as the law is implemented. In regards to women, the implementation of the ACA will allow 2. 4 million women be insured. For women, the ACA includes caps on out-of pocket spending for certain low-income individuals and coverage for many preventive services without cost-sharing. There are a lot of improvements to the coverage for women because of the ACA implementation. The biggest improvement is that insurance plans were mandated to cover essential benefits like outpatient and hospitalization care, maternity care, and prescription drugs. Along with the essential benefits, the plans have to cover preventive services and vaccines for women; without any co-payments or other cost sharing. Those services are pap smears, mammograms, bone density tests, and HPV vaccine. As of August 2012, plans also have to cover contraceptives as prescribed by a provider, breastfeeding supplies and supports such as breast pumps, screening for domestic violence, well woman visits, and several counseling and screening services (â€Å"Women’s Health Insurance Coverage,† 2013). Even though the changes because of the ACA are extensive, they are needed to ensure women’s health care is at an optimal level because they are the catalyst by which our next generation is born. If this is done correctly and plans follow, the ACA will shape access to coverage and care for millions of women across the nation for years to come.

Harriet Jacobs Biography, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

Harriet Jacobs (February 11, 1813-March 7, 1897), who was born into slavery, endured sexual abuse for years before successfully escaping to the North. She later wrote about her experiences in the 1861 book Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, one of the few slave narratives written by a black woman. Jacobs later became an abolitionist speaker, educator, and social worker. Fast Facts: Harriet Jacobs Known For: Escaped slavery and wrote Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861), the first female fugitive slave narrative in the U.S.Born: February 11, 1813, in Edenton, North CarolinaDied: March 7, 1897, in Washington, D.C.Parents: Elijah Knox and Delilah HorniblowChildren: Louisa Matilda Jacobs, Joseph JacobsNotable Quote: I am well aware that many will accuse me of indecorum for presenting these pages to the public, but the public ought to be made acquainted with [slavery’s] monstrous features, and I willingly take the responsibility of presenting them with the veil withdrawn.† Early Years: Life in Slavery Harriet Jacobs was born into slavery in Edenton, North Carolina, in 1813. Her father, Elijah Knox, was an enslaved biracial house carpenter owned by Andrew Knox. Her mother, Delilah Horniblow, was an enslaved black woman owned by a local tavern owner. Due to laws at the time, a mother’s status as â€Å"free† or â€Å"enslaved† was passed onto their children. Therefore, both Harriet and her brother John were enslaved at birth. After her mother’s death, Harriet lived with her mother’s mistress, Margaret Horniblow, who taught her to sew, read, and write. Harriet had hopes of being freed after Horniblow’s death. Instead, she was sent to live with the family of Dr. James Norcom. She was barely a teenager before her new owner, Norcom, sexually harassed her and threatened to make her his concubine. She endured psychological and sexual abuse for years. After Norcom forbid Jacobs from marrying a free black carpenter, she entered into a consensual relationship with a white neighbor, Samuel Tredwell Sawyer, with whom she had two children (Joseph and Louise Matilda). â€Å"I knew what I did, Jacobs later wrote about her relationship with Sawyer, and I did it with deliberate calculation†¦There is something akin to freedom in having a lover who has no control over you.† She had hoped that her relationship with Sawyer would offer her some protection. Escaping Slavery When Norcom found out about Jacobs’ relationship with Sawyer, he became violent towards her. Because Norcom still owned Jacobs, her children became his property. He threatened to sell her children and raise them as plantation slaves if she refused his sexual advances. If Jacobs fled, the children would remain with their grandmother, living in better conditions. Partly to protect her children from Norcom, Jacobs plotted her escape. She later wrote, â€Å"Whatever slavery might do to me, it could not shackle my children. If I fell a sacrifice, my little ones were saved.† For nearly seven years, Jacobs hid in her grandmother’s gloomy attic, a small room that was only nine feet long, seven feet wide, and three feet tall. From that tiny crawl space, she secretly watched her children grow up through a small crack in the wall. Norcom posted a runaway notice for Jacobs, offering a $100 reward for her capture. In the posting, Norcom ironically stated that this girl absconded from the plantation of my son without any known cause or provocation. In June 1842, a boat captain smuggled Jacobs north to Philadelphia for a price. She then moved on to New York, where she worked as a nurse for the writer Nathaniel Parker Willis. Later, Willis second wife paid Norcoms son-in-law $300 for Jacobs freedom. Sawyer purchased their two children from Norcom, but refused to set them free. Unable to reunite with her children, Jacobs reconnected with her brother John, also a fugitive slave, in New York. Harriet and John Jacobs became part of New Yorks abolitionist movement. They met Frederick Douglass. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl An abolitionist named Amy Post urged Jacobs to tell her life story to help those still in bondage, particularly women.  Though Jacobs had learned to read during her enslavement, she had never mastered writing. She began to teach herself how to write, publishing several anonymous letters to the New York Tribune, with Amy Post’s help. Jacobs eventually finished the manuscript, titled Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. The publication made Jacobs the first woman to author a fugitive slave narrative in the U.S. Prominent white abolitionist Lydia Maria Child helped Jacobs edit and publish her book in 1861. However, Child asserted that she did little to change the text, saying â€Å"I dont think I altered 50 words in the whole volume. Jacobs’ autobiography was â€Å"written by herself,† as the subtitle to her book states. The subject matter of the text, including sexual abuse and harassment of enslaved women, was controversial and taboo at the time. Some of her published letters in the New York Tribune shocked readers. Jacobs wrestled with the difficulty of exposing her past, later deciding to publish the book under a pseudonym (Linda Brent) and giving fictitious names to people in the narrative. Her story became one of the first open discussions about sexual harassment and abuse endured by slave women. Later Years After the Civil War, Jacobs reunited with her children. In her later years, she devoted her life to distributing relief supplies, teaching, and providing health care as a social worker. She eventually returned to her childhood home in Edenton, North Carolina, to help support the recently freed slaves of her hometown. She died in 1897 in Washington, D.C., and was buried next to her brother John in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Legacy Jacobs’ book, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, made an impact in the abolitionist community at the time. However, it was forgotten by history in the wake of the Civil War. The scholar Jean Fagan Yellin later rediscovered the book. Struck by the fact that it had been written by a formerly enslaved woman, Yellin championed Jacobs work. The book was reprinted in 1973. Today, Jacobs’ story is commonly taught in schools alongside other influential slave narratives, including Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave and Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom, by William and Ellen Craft. Together, these narratives not only vividly portray the evils of slavery, but also display the courage and resilience of enslaved men and women. Anthony Nittle contributed to this article. He teaches high school English for the Los Angeles Unified School District and has a masters degree in education from California State University, Dominguez Hills. Sources â€Å"About Harriet Jacobs Biography.† Historic Edenton State Historic Site, Edenton, NC. Andrews, William L. â€Å"Harriet A. Jacobs (Harriet Ann), 1813-1897.† Documenting the American South, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2019. â€Å"Harriet Jacobs.† PBS Online, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), 2019. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Africans in America, PBS Online, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), 1861. Jacobs, Harriet A. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1987. Reynolds, David S. â€Å"To Be a Slave.† The New York Times, July 11, 2004. Runaway notice for Harriet Jacobs. PBS Online, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), 1835. Yellin, Jean Fagan. The Harriet Jacobs Family Papers. The University of North Carolina Press, November 2008, Chapel Hill, NC.