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TUC/DFID Strategic Grant Agreement progress report

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Research and reports
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TUC/DFID Strategic Grant Agreement progress report

The Strategic Grant Agreement between the TUC and DFID and aims to raise awareness and build support for international development within the UK trade union movement with a view of enhancing our capacity to take action. The SGA ends in the next few months and the TUC is in discussions with DFID about what will follow the Agreement.

SGA progress to date since December 2005 has been in the following areas:

Development Awareness - Visitors

Adwoa Sakyi, the Gender Officer of the Ghana Agricultural Workers' Union (GAWU) was hosted in the first week in December. Adwoa, currently the Chair of the IUF Global Union Federation's Agricultural Workers' Trade Group and met with her counterparts within her sister union the TGWU, took part in Make Poverty History activities, including handing in 750,000 votes for trade justice to No. 10 Downing Street, taking part in White Band Day three in Nottingham, addressing the Northern Region TUC Conference on Trade Unions, Internationalism and Gender Inequality, as well as meeting with NGOs, the DTI Gender Trade Group and DFID. Adwoa was accompanied by Eric Boateng also from GAWU who works in the Forestry Department.

Also during this time, Gladys Branche the Gender Officer for the Sierra Leone Labour Congress and full time Primary School Teacher, was hosted (through a grant from the SGA mini grants scheme) by the Northern Region TUC. Gladys also addressed the above conference, met with the GMB national Women's Committee, the General Secretary of the NUT, DFID and took part in workplace visits in Newcastle.

DFID/ TUC Relations

The fourth DFID/TUC Forum on International Development between union General Secretaries and their deputies/substitutes and DFID, Chaired jointly by the Secretary of State and the TUC spokesperson on International Development is to be held on 9 February 2006, 3 - 4.30pm (Forum) and a 2 - 3pm (union pre-meeting). The key agenda item to be discussed is the new DFID White Paper consultation document.

The previously highlighted DFID staff guide 'How to Work with Trade Unions' which the TUC assisted DFID in preparing is now available as a full report with forwards from Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for International Development and Brendan Barber TUC General Secretary on the DFID external web site http://www.dfid.gov.uk/aboutdfid/DFIDwork/tradeunions/foreword.asp. The guide provides a comprehensive account of what trade unions are and how DFID staff can work in partnership with trade unions in developing countries to achieve common development and poverty reduction aims. The TUC will shortly begin disseminating the guide amongst its sister unions in developing countries with a view to encouraging them to approach DFID country offices with the guide in hand.

International Women's Day

Plans for the third TUC celebration of International Women's Day at Congress House. This event, this year themed 'Women Braving Conflict' to be held on 6 March 2006 in the Marble Hall between 6-8pm, aims to celebrate the courage and spirit of women in the trade union movement around the world who have continued to fight for the rights of women workers despite being surrounded by violent conflict. Sarah Manseray from the Sierra Leone Teachers Union, Iraqi and Iraqi Kurd trade unionists will give brief speeches on their experiences. Tessa Jowell MP, the Minister for women is also invited and the event will be hosted by the TUC's Assistant General Secretary Kay Carberry. Food and drinks will be served throughout and we are delighted to announce that musical entertainment will be provided by Susheela Ramen, Mercury Prize Nominee who will sing songs (accompanied by Guitar) from her three albums which draw on Indian and western influences and encompass English songs and Sanskrit texts.

Enquiries about invitations to this event should be addressed to Gemma Freedman.

For further information on any aspect of the SGA, please contact the SGA Project Officer, Gemma Freedman at the TUC on 020 7467 1233 or email gfreedman@tuc.org.uk

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