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Report of the Training
on Gender Equality and Promotion in Unions' Structures
Organised by Democratic
Confederation of Nepalese Trade Unions (DECONT)
29-30 April 2004, Birgunj
Background:
Mainly in developing countries, unions are not able to recruit
more women members in the organization. This of course, also means
low representation of women in the higher levels of the unions.
In fact, there are barriers in their active participation within
union and for own rights and welfare. The main cause of this lies
in the male domination in the unions. Most decision-making posts
and almost all high ranked positions are occupied by male themselves.
Likewise, union lacks some special and appropriate mechanism and
structures, which directly and easily handles women workers' issues.
Even though, if there are any, they may not be capable, accountable
and responsive and clear on their objectives and targets. It has
made unhealthy and worthless situation to enter women in the organization
mainly because womens' interests are not prioritised by the union
and its mechanisms.
There are lots of obstacles for women workers
to join unions. Mobilizing women workers through women leaders
as well developing and implementing proper mechanism is a possible
way out. DECONT has a gender policy to encourage broader participation
of women workers in union activities and make their voices strong
with the strength of union. But the problem is a lack of women
leaders and proper utilization of remained mechanism itself.
DECONT believes in the necessity of basic need of women leadership
development and promotion of gender equality for the purpose.
Keeping this in mind it has organized a 'Training on Gender
Equality and Promotion in Unions' Structures' at Birgunj, Parsa
on 29-30 April 2004 in cooperation with FES. The programme was
participated by 27 women leaders and activists from different
levels and districts of DECONTs' organization.
Inauguration:
The chief guest of inaugural session was Mr. Bijaya Sarawagi,
Secretary of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry where
as Chairman of the session was Mrs. Rama Poudel, Women Vice-President
of DECONT. Also present at the session were members of DECONT
central committee, members of Parsa district committee, journalists
and other local invitees. Addressing the session, speakers stressed
on the need of women empowerment and their increased participation
in every field including trade unions since their participation
in the total workforce is increasing day by day. Likewise, they
also wished for the successful completion of the training and
hoped that it shall be able to meet the objectives.
Business Session:
After inaugural session, a brief introduction session has been
conducted where participants and resource persons shared their
personal as well as organizational introduction. After this,
Mrs. Rama Poudel shed lights on the objectives behind organizing
this training. After this, a session on 'DECONTs' gender promotional
activities and gender audit' was started that was also facilitated
by Mrs. Poudel. In this session she briefed about the activities
carried out by DECONT in order to bring gender equality in the
union. She briefed about the different actions taken by DECONT
to increase women involvement in union as well to increase women
leadership. Likewise, she also described about the previous
situation of women involvement into union and its' leadership
and present condition which seems progressive in response to
gender promotion.
After that, another session was on 'Importance
of gender promotion and equality in trade union' that was facilitated
by Mrs. Bimala Gaire. In this session discussion was held on
the different issues regarding why gender promotion and equality
is important for trade union. Since, the number of women in
the total workforce is increasing very rapidly and women are
now not only limited within household chores. If a union could
not bring these women workers in union structures, the unions
will not be able to represent the workers in real sense. And,
the problems and issues of women workers could be easily understood
and taken seriously only by women leadership and for these all
gender equality and promotion is quite essential.
Thereafter, the last session of the day was
on 'Structures and Policies of DECONT in the perspective of
gender equality' that was conducted by Mrs. Rita Bhandari (Bum).
In the session, she briefed about the present organizational
structures of DECONT and its' affiliated national unions. She
discussed about the position of women leadership in those structures
and provisions made for the promotion of gender equality in
DECONT through different privileges.
The session of second day was started with
the reviewing of the activities took place on first day of the
training. After the review, session was started on 'Policies
of union for gender equality and promotion' that was facilitated
by Mr. K. N. Dahal. In this session, he described about the
different policies adopted by DECONT in order to promote gender
equality in the organization such as provision of Women Vice-President
at every level of DECONT and of affiliated national unions,
representation of women in collective bargaining committee,
30 per cent participation of women in every training programmes
etc. Thereafter next session was started on 'Women Leadership
Development: Constraints and Challenges' that was facilitated
by Mrs. Amuda Shrestha. In this session discussion was held
on the issues like why women are not able to hold leadership
positions in union, hindrances in this aspects, socio-cultural
aspects, traditional unions' structures and attitudes etc. Likewise,
it also dealt with the challenges of unions, why they are not
able to mainstream women workers as much as they have to, in
trade union movement.
Another session of the training was on 'Towards
gender equality: Possible structural changes in union &
unions' policy' that was jointly conducted by Mrs. Poudel and
Mrs. Shrestha. This session was a group work where participants
were divided into four groups and given task to list out their
suggestions and recommendations in possible structural changes
for gender equality and promotion. After the group discussion,
each group presented their reports accordingly. After hearing
from all groups' presentation, a summary has been prepared that
recommends towards possible structural adjustment for gender
equality in union. The recommendations are:
- In district and national convention, there
should be 1 representative in each 100 women member.
- The women vice-president of affiliated
national unions and district committees should be convention
representative automatically.
- In leadership at all level, it should
be mandatory to have 33 per cent women holding different positions.
In this way, the business session of
the training was completed. At the end, a short closing session
was held in which, representing the participants, Mrs. Harkala
Kafle described the training as very useful and appropriate
and they also hoped that this will help them to work towards
gender equality and promotion at different levels of union.
At the end, Mr. R. B. Raut and Mrs. Rama Poudel thanks the participants
for their active participation and invaluable inputs in the
training and assured that DECONT will do its' best to follow
and implement the recommendations resulted in the workshop.
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