Need to increase women’s participation in social dialogue structures – TUC
Ms Teresa Nadia Abugah, Head of Women’s Desk, Ghana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), on Monday stressed the need to increase the participation of women in existing social dialogue structures, bemoaning the low number of women in key positions in the Trade Union structures.
She noted that social dialogue played a key role in promoting opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equality, security and human dignity.
Ms Abugah who represented Mr Kofi Asamoah, Secretary General of GTUC at a Youth and Women Committee of Building and Woodworkers International (BWI) Meeting in Accra, said empowering women meant realising and utilising their capacity to effectively engage and participate in the social structure.
The meeting brought together executives and selected members of various Trade Unions from 27 African and three Middle East countries.
Some countries represented include Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Ethiopia, Togo, Malaysia, Namibia, Jordan, Tunisia and Morocco.
It discussed Women and Youth visibility within multi-national corporations and international financial institutions towards decent, gender fair and sustainable jobs.
Referring to negotiations of Collective Bargaining as a form of social dialogue, Ms Abugah said, “We must mainstream gender issues in the process of collective bargaining ensuring that aspirations of women are catered for.”
She said there was the need for BWI to institute affirmative action measures to redress the deficit of women visibility in multi-national and international financial institutions.
Ms Abugah advised women to develop positive self awareness and make their presence felt wherever they might be while remaining focused in perseverance to achieve their goal.
“As women workers in the union movement, we need to intensify our participation in both elective and appointed structures and demonstrate our commitment to leadership positions,” she added.
Ms Abugah said international cooperation, networking, unity and solidarity were important weapons needed to give meaning in their quest towards decent, gender fair and sustainable jobs.
She advised the youth to make themselves available in all deliberations and regard the elderly as mentors, “You have a lot of lessons to learn especially as you sit with the old comrades”.
Mr Piet Matosa, Regional President for Africa and Middle East Region, noted that there were instances that workers were working without contracts of employment as perpetual casual workers, under dangerous inhuman and degrading working conditions in violation of the International Labour Standards.
He therefore urged the various unions to organise campaign and negotiate as outlined in the BWI strategic documents.
“We can only influence our national governments and employers if we have a strong independent, democratic and gender fair unions and we can only influence multinational companies if we are strong and work together globally,” Mr Matosa added.
Source: GNA