Gender Mainstreaming in the Trade Unions Movement

Actrav, November 2006

Overview

What is gender equality (concepts, approaches)

Challenges of women in the TU movements Characteristics of informal economy Barriers to organizing women

WHAT IS GENDER?

SEX BIOLOGICAL

FUNCTIONS

GENDER CONSTRUCTED

ROLES AND RELATIONS

Social Cultural Traditional Power relations…

WHAT?

Ethnicity

Socioeconomic

status

Health condition Age

Religion, beliefs

Education

Gender

Phase “Women in Development” (WID)...

In projects and activities

WID

Sensitive to women’s issues

Phase “Gender and Development”...

Sensitive to problems link to women and men

In projects and acitivities

Phase “Gender Mainstreaming…Sustainable

Sensitive and responsive to women and men

In projects and activities

Gender Mainstreaming

Giving equal opportunities and rights to men and women

Transforming systemic inequalities in legislation, policies, programmes, etc into equal and just structures.

ILO’s Four Sectors

How is gender integrated in these sectors: Policy level Bureau for Gender Equality,GenProm

Internationallabour standards - rights at work

Social protectionOSH Social Dialogue

Employment: quantity and quality

Gender Mainstreaming

What is your TU doing for gender equality?

Family friendly policy in the work place? Is there career equality for women? Do women participate equally in union activities? Are women’s specific concerns being

mainstreamed in the movement?

Example: In some regions women lose seniority if they take career breaks for family reasons, while men receive credit for time taken to undertake military service.

How is your TU doing it?

Are women involved at the negotiating table In the various committees (health, training,

etc) In grievance handling procedure As shop stewards In the executive committee

Any positive action measures?

Barriers and resistances to implement equality measures Stereotypes about women’s ability, culture, beliefs,

etc Discouragement or hostile reaction from colleagues

and family Informal procedures for nomination relying on

established male networks Women’s voice may be weak Lack of representation Family responsibilities Part time work of women Lack of confidence of women

Women and Gender structure

Women’s committee: ensure that there not marginalized and have resources and direct contact with decision-making bodies

Gender equality committee Women’s department Web of focal points

Characteristic of the informal economy

Which group do you want to reach to? working sector (industry, rural, home workers,

domestic workers, migrants, indigenous, etc) type of workers (casual, temporary, seasonal, part-time

What are the characteristic of that group? Self-employment (represents the majority in the

informal economy, ie. Home based workers, street vendors, etc)

Wage employment in informal jobs (domestic workers, industrial outworkers)

Number of men and women, education and literacy levels, fear of reprisals, etc.

Organizing

Challenges Conventional methods of recruiting less effective Change the perception of unions Consider the characteristic of the group:

Women may be more reluctant, less willing to take chances Solutions

Organizing special event for target group i.e. homeworkers Raising awareness of workers rights Established and proven track record on gender equality Having more flexible rules Social dialogue with govt to help enforce laws protecting

workers

Organizing, the ways….

Two ways: extending its field of activity to include informal sector

workers. For example, the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia (TCFUA)

new trade unions created specifically to organize informal sector workers. For example (SEWA) in India, organizes homeworkes, street vendors, etc.

Seeking new partnerships Other methods: organizing street committees, getting

involved in community development, etc