1. Decent Work, Decent Life for Women

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

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
33 titualr members – represnetation from all the regions

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

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
Informal economy: self employed/ paid employment without contracts, no social protection: maternity leave, no access to services: child and health care - earn less then a dollar a day EPZ: 80 million workers, no maternity protection rights, sexual harassment, great difficulaties to organise, form trade unions
Global Supply chains: work is outsourced, a way MNE’s do not take responsibility for working conditions and wages. All kinds of products – and trade in services, tourism, flowers, fruits, vegetables

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
Report II: covers gender pay gap, women’s postion on the labour market during periods of economic crisis

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
Trade unions: key role to get decent work for women on the agenda – MDG’s and international donor assistance

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
C. 156, Workers with Family responsibilities
C. 100, Equal Remuneration
C. 111, Discrimination
Ireland Ratified: 100 (167), 111 (169), Not ratified: 183 (17), 156 (40)

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 Action which commits governments to “ensuring that gender perspective is reflected in all our policies and programmes” and the Beijing Declaration which includes ‘Section F’ on Women and the Economy.
Mullenium Declaration, adopted by 189 nations and signed by 147 Heads of State

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 work for 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 Countries join 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

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
Project: Web part and trade union campaign part. Young Women – integrated in Decent Work, decent Life for Women Campaign

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:
- click on ‘equality’, ‘women’
Campaign webpage:
- click on ‘equality’
list –

34. Decent Work, Decent Life for Women Campaign