Women and the global economic crisis

Women and the global economic crisis

Bearing the brunt, leading the response

100th anniversary of International Women's Day

On the 100^th anniversary of International Women's Day, the TUC is highlighting the disproportionate effect that the global economic crisis has had on women all over the world. It has affected women in the developed world very differently to how it has affected women in developing countries, but in the north and the south it is women who are bearing the brunt.

The TUC has produced 'Bearing the brunt, leading the response: Women and the global economic crisis', a collection of stories, articles and case studies from individuals, unions and NGOs. Using examples from Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa it illustrates just how deeply the global economic crisis has affected women all over the world. The publication also shows how women across the world are leading the response - organising in their unions and in their communities to challenge cuts, discrimination and oppression and to fight for their right to decent, secure and sustainable work.

Click picture to download the booklet

Solidarity

Women trade unionists from all over the world have sent in solidarity messages to women in the UK, here is a selection:

AFL-CIO

On this International Women's Day, as we celebrate the indomitable fighting spirit of working women, the AFL-CIO stands in solidarity with our sisters and brothers in Great Britain in your struggle against austerity measures that disproportionately affect women workers. We join you and workers worldwide to advocate for strong social protections and decent work for the millions of working women whose participation in the global workforce is key to a strong global recovery

Zimbabwe Union of Journalists

The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) would like to express its solidarity with the women trade unionists of UK on this International Women's Day.

Zimbabwean female journalists appreciate the support they continue to get from fellow unionists from the UK, especially through our partnership with the NUJ and the TUC which continues to be strong supporters of Press Freedom, Labour and Human Rights of journalists in Zimbabwe.
Female journalists in Zimbabwe have received sanitary wear from their UK counterparts and they are among the many journalists who benefit from the ZUJ media centre set up with assistance from the NUJ.
Because of the NUJ support, which also included training in Harare,many female journalists in Zimbabwe have learnt to appreciate that women can also do it in journalism and indeed in Trade Union development work.

On this day, we say let us all once again renew our energies in fighting for women's rights both at home and in the workplace.
In Solidarity

Confederation of prosperity unions, Indonesia

On behalf of 511.000 KSBSI members, we are happy and also celebrating International Women Day in Indonesia. 100 years is a long time, but the fight for all the women in the world will not and can not be stopped. Including the fight of women trade unionists in Indonesia and of course the fight of women trade unionist in the U.K.

The biggest women fight nowadays is to fight back the disproportionate impact that the global economic crisis is having impact on women all over the world such as there are a lot women lost their job because the company they worked for went bankrupt and closed, and there are also a lot more women that work in an informal economy sector which do not give them any protection. This impact of the economic crisis that happened globally, needs to be fought back globally as well by uniting the power of all women trade unionist in the world. TUC, KSBSI, and other trade union in the world, together we fight for a better condition for all the women in the world.

Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union

GAWU salutes women the world over. Every slight of the world affects the worlds' vulnerable more. The HIV/ADIS pandemic has exposed the deep inequalities between men and women and has highlighted women's lack of power. On this occasion we pledge to heighten our own involvement in the fight against HIV/AIDS. We will fight for more social protection for women.

Our union sends our greetings to yours and to the women of Britain who are currently suffering the vicious attacks from the Conservative led coalition government.

Ghana

Ghana joins other women trade unionist in the United Kingdom to mark this year's international women's day which is being celebrated throughout the world today.

Ghanaian women are yearning for proper and well-crafted regulation and policies, that will encourage women to have equal opportunities as their male counterparts and help reduce the negative impact of the financial crisis on women in Ghana.

Long live women! Long live trade unionism! Long live TUC! Long live GTUC!

Kenya

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY!

COTU (K) Women Trade Unionists are happy to join their fellow women worldwide to celebrate and mark 100 years anniversary on 8th March 2011.

All Kenyan women will be reflecting on their achievements in the fight and struggle of women’s rights over the years and are happy to say that COTU (K) recognises Trade Union Women Membership and Leadership and have teamed up with the Government to make sure that all women rights and trade union rights are taken care of within the New Kenyan Constitution, under Chapter IV on the Bill of Rights.

Women workers also celebrate the achievement of Maternity Protection or 3 months with pay and the Paternity leave of 14 days for men, which is included in the same regulation.

Under the same Bill of Rights, Kenyans women will enjoy property ownership and are entitled to a share of their parents’ property whether married or not.

Women Trade Unionists have been given Trade Union Education Training opportunities both nationally and internationally and also an opportunity to be elected into elective positions of Trade Union Leadership. All in all, COTU (K) is in the forefront to empower its women membership. This is in line with the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day, 2011; “Equal Access to Education, Training, Science and Technology: Pathway to Decent Work for Women”

LONG LIVE WOMEN’S RIGHTS STRUGGLE!

Sri Lanka

March 8th, 2011 marks a century of struggle of women workers globally for worker's rights, against exploitation and injustice. Today, workers continue to demand not just democracy but economic redistribution and social justice.

The global economic crisis more specifically the financial crisis, as we also known has had grave consequences and has penetrated deeply in authoritarian states and repression. The neo - liberal ideology, its legitimacy is now been challenged by different ways the ideology is being practiced. In most countries, the working class - dominates the population. In this social group, a large number comprised women who dependent on wages. Women have been pushed to enter the formal and informal labour in huge numbers in this feminization process, by and large, all of them affected by the prevailing gender discriminatory -unequal wages. At the same time, the financial crisis has led to growing unemployment, social inequalities and retrenchment too. In some cases we have witnessed violent methods of controlling labour. Women workers were the worst victims as workers and as women who had to bear triple and quadruple burdens.

In the context of political upheaval in the transnational scene, trade unions have a long way to recognize agency and give voice to women's leadership in unions. Red Flag Women's Movement [RFWM] has taken this issue in its own stride - some big steps taking women's leadership in their fold. What RFWM has initiated should be mainstreamed via worker and labour - TU movement, not as mere tokenism. This commitment and vision must be underlined and practised in trade unionism worldwide. This will give a fillip to strengthen global solidarity of women and men in equal partners to challenge neo liberal forces and its ideology.

Red Flag Women's Movement

Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions joins the working women in the UK in commemorating International Women’s Day at a time when we also celebrate our recent twinning with the TUC’s women’s committees.

This year our theme is “ZCTU our Responsibility: Decent Work our Agenda”.  And our core demand is for decent work and Poverty Datum Line linked wages.

Other priorities include: -

• Affordable sanitary pads;
• Unconditional maternity protection and free medical services;
• A stop to gender based violence and non violent, free and fair elections;

As we commemorate the day, the police have once again started invading the ZCTU offices for information to be used against us.  We demand this stops immediately. 

But as we go through these trials, we cherish and value the support and solidarity from the TUC, including for our women’s empowerment training.  In 2011 we desire for the twinning relationship to continue to bear fruits and strengthen both organizations now and into the future. 

Have a successful International Women’s Day.

SOLIDARITY FOREVER.
Miriam Katumba
ZCTU Women’s Advisory Council Chairperson