Women’s Pre conference event: Upholding women’s rights and decent work for women organized in Singapore on 9-10 May 2011.
The program started with welcoming participants Josefine and identifying participants from different countries. After making clarification on the program, general secretary have given welcome remarks as organizer.
Highlighting the issues of Gender equality at the heart of decent work, was explained that decent work have five pillars as – Social dialogue, Labor standard, Fundamental right, Social protection and Employment.
The text point of the presentation from Nepal was as below.
Gender mainstreaming in Trade Union and Women in Leadership
— An Experiences of Nepal—
GEFONT established in 1989
o Having active members in the local level and none of them in the union structure until 1991.
Realizing this it set up Central women workers department in 1992
o started to form department in the local structure
o atleast one woman in each union
Gender policy set in 1996 as
o at least 25% women in trade union activities and 25% men in women program
o strategic plan for leadership development as campaign for women worker
Review the enforcement in 2000
o 13.5% women and 6% men
o Emphasized for proper implementation
Review in 2004-
o 28% women in general program and 26% men participation in women program as more satisfactory result
In 2006 May 30th
o Parliament adopted resolution of 1/3 women participation in all state mechanism
GEFONT declared itself as well
o 1/3 women participation in its structure
o Proportionate representation in women dominated sector as domestic, street vendor, carpet etc.
o Dignified number of participation in less women sector as transportation, rickshaw etc
Changing policy in 2008
o Women committee instead of department
o All women central committee members are in the executive of gefont
o Women chair become vice-chair of gefont committee in all level
o Women dominated TUs as- Domestic, Home-based, Parlor, Health volunteers, Agriculture, Street vendors etc.
TUC-GEP as Common platform
o Common umbrella between GEFONT-NTUC women leadership
o Identified 10 Points common gender agendas at workplace
o Joint campaign to make realized among TU
o Not only TU, even employer organization and govt as well recognized the issues
o TUC-GEP turned into JTUCC women committee as common platform of all 7-TU national centers onward 2010
In National politics
o 1/3 women in Constituent assembly/parliament
o Fighting for 1/3 women in government and other constitutional bodies such as national planning commission
o Some party has made constitutional provision for women participation (as 1/3 by UML, at least 20% by Congress etc.)
o Gender budget about 17 percent of national total budget
Gender issues endorsed for new Constitution
o Equal property right,
o Reproductive right,
o VAW is punishable and compensable,
o Provision for affirmative action on education, health, employment and social security,
o Family right to prohibit polyandry-polygamy and equal right and responsibility of daughter-son as well as parent.
Issues still under discussion/controversy
o Citizenship provision based on gender equality?
o Women participation in all state mechanism including political parties 1/3 vs. proportional?
o Election system FPTP or Mixed or proportional representation only?
Regarding workers right- as fundamental right
o Equal opportunity and remuneration
o TU right for every workers
o CBA right as well as go for strike according to law
o Social security scheme coverage for every workers
o Employment as fundamental right and unemployment benefit
o Abolition of child and forced labor
o Free and compulsory primary as well as Free secondary education.
o Early Child Development care for every children
o Free maternal care as part of basic health
Lesson learned
o To be a women in decision making position and timely intervene is very essential
o Women should be fully equipped with relevant data and information (Education, skill and confident)
o Leadership should be ready to accept every kinds of challenges (React logically)
o Broader and strong solidarity among women (Support each other)
o Avoid any kinds of irrelevant comments against fellow women (Zero tolerance)
o Women should accept women as leader and refer positively each other
May 10, 2011 at Singapore
Thanks !