Decent Work, Decent Life for Women

1. Decent Work, Decent Life for Women

2. Represents 170 million workers in 158 countries and territories and has 316 national affiliates ITUC

3. ITUC Equality Department • Gender and equality policies, programs and campaigns • Migrants - Domestic workers • Other issues: • Racism and Xenophobia • LGTB Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender • Elderly • Disabled

4. Women in trade unions • Average women membership rate is 40% • Women are under represented in elected and leadership positions

5. ITUC Constitution • Aims at gender parity in leadership positions at national, regional and international level • Congress:gender parity in trade union delegations is required • Executive Board: 30% of its members are women

6. ITUC Women’s Committee • Women’s Committee and representation in the General Council and Executive Bureau • Once in the 4 years: Women’s Conference – October 2009

7. National Centers ETUC + PERC Americas Africa Asia/ Pacific Trade unions International/ regional structures of the Global Union Federations Women’s Committees

8. Global Facts and Figures • Today 40% of the world labour force are women (1.2 billion); • Women account for an increasing proportion (60% - 70%) of the world’s poor and working poor; • Informal economy: 60% or more are women workers • Export Processing Zones: 80/90 % of the workers are young women. • Global supply chains: MNE’s take advantage of less well paid and organised labour

9. Global Facts and Figures Women earn 10% of the world’s income. Work two-thirds of the world unpaid work. Those in waged employment earn an average of three- fourths of the male wage for the same work, or work of equal value. Gender Equality Report on 8 March: • Global Pay Gap in 2008: 16,5 % - in 2009: 22 % • Earnings between men and women widens with age • The higher the education– the higher the negative impact • Trade union membership has a positive influence on the gender pay gap • Women receive less promotions and are less compensated for working overtime – compared to men

10. Decent Work, decent Life for Women

11. Global Facts and Figures • violence and sexual harassment at or near the workplace – 1 out of 3 women experienced violence in her life; • women between 15 – 44 are more at risk of death/ disability through domestic violence then through cancer, motor accidents, war and malaria.

12. Global Policies on gender equality ILO DECENT WORK AGENDA: The four pillars of Decent Work: • Standards and rights at work, • Employment creation • Social protection • Social dialogue. ILO Conference 2009: Conclusions and recommendations on gender equality http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---relconf/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_108259.pdf

13. Global Policies on gender equality Calling for a review of national labour legislation: • Urging governments to ratify and implement ILO Conventions e.g. : • C. 183, Maternity protection • http://www.ilo.org/ilolex/cgi-lex/convde.pl?C183 • C. 156, Workers with Family responsibilities • http://www.ilo.org/ilolex/cgi-lex/convde.pl?C156 • C. 100, Equal Remuneration • http://www.ilo.org/ilolex/cgi-lex/convde.pl?C100 • C. 111, Discrimination • http://www.ilo.org/ilolex/cgi-lex/convde.pl?C111

14. Global Policies on gender equality Urging governments to implement: • CEDAW(United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women), international statement of women’s rights signed by 185 countries – agenda for national action • The Beijing Global Platform for Actionwhich commits governments to “ensuring that gender perspective is reflected in all our policies and programmes” and theBeijing Declarationwhich includes ‘Section F’on Women and the Economy.

15. Global Policies on gender equality • The UN Millennium Development Goals 2015: • (1) Hunger and poverty – refers to decent work - including women and youth • (3) Gender equality - increasing number of women in wage employment and • (5) maternal health

16. Global Campaign for Decent Work, Decent Life for Women Objectives: • Decent workfor women • Organising women workers and • achieving gender equality in trade union structures,policies and activities

17. Campaign Previous achievements of International campaigns for women: • Increase women membership - up to 150%; • Increase of women in elected positions; • Unions intensified policies/ actions on gender equality at work e.g. maternity protection (183), child care, pay equity, protection from sexual harassment.

18. Since the launch of the Campaign on 8 March 2008 • 102 National Centers in 64 Countriesjoin the Campaign Activities focus on: • Maternity protection rights – ILO Convention 183 • Child care facilities, Work – life balance – ILO Convention 156 • Pay Equity – ILO Convention 100 • Gender equality in trade unions

19. Decent Work, decent Life for Women

20. Campaign actions • Gender Equality at the centre of collective bargaining and social dialogue • More women in elected positions and increase of women membership rates

21. Campaign actions

22. Campaign actions • Ratification/ implementation of ILO Conventions on gender equality • Encourage involvement at national level: CEDAW, MDG, Beijing Platform of Action • UN Commission on the Status of Women • Conclusions of the ILO Conference on gender Equality - 2009

23. Campaign Actions

24. Campaign Actions

25. Focusing on Key Dates • 8 March - International Women’s Day • 7 October - World Day for Decent Work • 25 November - UN Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women .

26. Campaign Actions

27. Achievements Current Campaign • Croatia, 2008: the Croatian parliament has approved a new gender equality law • Australia, 2009: Paid maternity leave for working mothers • Korea: 2008: Legislation on Equal Employment and support for the Reconciliation of Work and Family • New Zealand, 2008: introduced legislation for breastfeeding breaks

28. Achievements Current Campaign Gender Pay Gap Report • World wide media coverage of the first ITUC report on the Gender Pay Gap on 8 March 2008 • Major international organizations/ institutions start to include the issue into their annual reports (ILO, UN, NGO’s). • The report is the most hit item on the ITUC website.

29. Achievements Current Campaign Decisions for Life Project: • 2009: Reached 5000 young women in the service sector • Trade union Campaign teams – Web journalist teams in 14 countries • Cooperation between ITUC – UNI – WageIndicator Foundation – University of Amsterdam

30. Campaign Methods used: • Questionnaire/ reports – media attention • Coalitions/ networking: women in unions, women in parliament, NGO’ s • Preparing changes/ amendments to labor law/ collective agreements • Organize discussions in trade unions to develop model clauses on gender equality for collective agreements • Training on gender equality • Organising women workers

31. ITUC Materials on Gender Equality Publications • ITUC Campaign Guide: Decent Work, Decent Life for Women • Achieving Gender Equality, Trade Union Manual • Action Program on achieving gender equality in trade unions • Trade Unions say NO to Violence Against Women • Stopping Sexual Harassment at Work • Women’s Charter

32. ITUC Materials on Gender Equality Reports: • The Global Gender Pay Gap • Gender Inequality at Work • The Decent Work Agenda: A Gender Perspective Resolutions: • Violence Against Women Statements • For the UN Commission on the status of Women

33. CAMPAIGN WEB PAGE AND E-MAIL LIST • Women Conference webpage: http://www.ituc-csi.org/spip.php?rubrique268 - click on ‘equality’, ‘women’ • Campaign webpage: www.ituc-csi.org - click on ‘equality’ • Email list – marieke.koning@ituc-csi.org

34. Decent Work, Decent Life for Women Campaign