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Promoting Women's Participation in Trade Union Activities Project in Nigeria

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NLC/TUC Promoting Women's Participation in Trade Union Activities Project in Nigeria

The Project launched in September 2004 in collaboration with the Nigeria Labour Congress aims at reducing discrimination against women in the workplace through enhancement of the capacity of trade unions to address the concerns of women workers. Project activities planned for the first year have all been successfully completed. They include workshops on gender training, strategic planning, basic trade union education, collective bargaining, information and communications technology as well as publicity and campaigning activities for the International Women's Day.

Achievements

Project activities were geared towards building the capacity of women members of affiliates and women committee members of NLC State Councils and equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary for active leadership. Gender training workshops focused on leaders of affiliates with a view to creating gender awareness and identifying gender issues, adopted strategies of incorporating them and provided an opportunity to publicize the NLC Gender Equity Policy. 747 trade union officials have so far taken part in project activities. A number of women trade unionists have successfully contested leadership positions at union elections.

Following a review of the Constitution of the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU) the chairperson of the newly formed National Women Committee of the Union now holds the position of vice president of the Union. Moreover, an additional position of Vice Chairperson has been created in the State Councils of the Union to be occupied by a female member. The chairperson of the National Women Committee of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) is now a vice president of the Union and member of the Central Working Committee and National Executive Council. The amendment to the Constitution of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation (AUPCTRE) has made Chairperson of the National Women Committee a vice president of the Union. The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has also employed a full time Gender Officer at the National Secretariat of the Union in Abuja

Project participants have committed themselves to follow-up activities and report on them. Comrade Abdullahi M. Sule, Zonal Organising Secretary North Central Radio, Television and Theatre Workers Union (RATTAWU) in Abuja who attended the Gender Awareness Workshop in Abuja reported that, on a proposal by him, a gender desk officer had been appointed in his Union. The Union has also employed a gender desk officer at the national Headquarters in Abuja. Regional networking has been successful, with trade union women from neighbouring countries taking part in a regional activity, co-sponsored by the Canadian Labour Congress.

A number of activities were organised in co-operation with NGOs and publicity material and strategies were jointly developed for campaigns. Joint work has gone a long way in creating public awareness on a number of issues including women's rights, ratification of ILO Convention on Maternity Protection among others.

Progress has also been reported in establishing contact with the Government.

A meeting with Hajia Mariam Ciroma, Minister of Women Affairs and Youth Development, was held. The Federal Ministry of Employment, Labour and Productivity set up a committee for the ratification of ILO Convention 183 on Maternity Protection and two female members of the NLC women Committee serve on that committee. The NLC has set up a five-member committee including the Programme Officer and the Gender Desk Officer to work on inputs for NLC's representatives on the Committee. Efforts to establish dialogue with Chairpersons of the Senate and House Committees on Women Affairs and Youth Development continue.

Challenges

Much remains to be achieved on collation of statistics on women in leadership of affiliated unions. A review of the National Delegates' Conferences of affiliated unions held during the period indicates that women members were not sufficiently well represented. Efforts will continue to persuade all affiliated unions to adhere to affirmative action in line with the NLC Gender Equity Policy. Measuring the number of courses organised by trainees has been proven difficult due to the delay in feedback. Some participants have not been able to organise follow-up training workshops due to financial constraints. Collaboration with NGOs has met with limited success. Project staff will work in close collaboration with the NLC leadership to overcome the difficulties and secure better feedback from affiliates.

The Project is funded by the Department for International Development under the Civil Society Challenge Fund.

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