20 October 2011
By Sophal Chea
Cambodiana: 20 October 2011, ILO SPG of BFC conducted half day meeting with trade union federations to discuss the study on "Women and gender issues in Cambodia garment sector trade unions" The study looks at the percentage of women in the trade union at the enterprise levels, factors leading to less participation of women in the leadership and trade union activities, and provides recommendations and action plan for the involvement of women in the trade union. This research was conducted with 34 interviewees, 24 of them are from four factories. There are two federations involving in the research namely C.CAWDU and CLUF and ten are from town national federations. The key findings include as follows:
- Nearly all of women are members of the trade unions;
- There is high level of women involvement in the enterprise-level trade unions (deputy union leader, secretary, trainer, and women organizing committee);
and - Lack of understanding of labor law.
The ILO Consultant, Elso Ramos-Carbone, expressed the major reasons why women are not leading the garment unions. The major reasons include:
- The findings of survey in Cambodia identifies the major reasons....which are commone to all trade unions everywhere in the world; - Existence of prejudice: cultural factors (mentalities, behaviour, attitudes towards women and men; gendered roles/stereotyping; discrimination);
- Women's lack of confidence in their own abilities;
- The unequal division of family responsibilities; and
- Trade unins are not at " women-friendly".
The consultant provided a number of methods to tackle those challenges as follows:
- Awareness-raising, campaigns, education and training for men and women on gender sensitivity, gender equality, and sexual harassment;
- Firm commitment of trade union leaders to lead the fight for gender equality in the trade unions and elsewhere. Action, not only words!;
- Provide a women's place in her union;
- Building women-friendly unions;
- Adoption of gender policies and action plans/prgrammes;
- Charts/manifestos on the rights of working women at the workplace, in society and trade union;
- Gender equality project groups;
- Amendments to statutes (Constitutions) to include gender equality provisions and positive action measures; and
- Actively encouraging men to participate in events and campaigns organized by women and/or focused on issues of particular concern to them is another way of raising gender awareness.
Cambodiana: 20 October 2011, ILO SPG of BFC conducted half day meeting with trade union federations to discuss the study on "Women and gender issues in Cambodia garment sector trade unions" The study looks at the percentage of women in the trade union at the enterprise levels, factors leading to less participation of women in the leadership and trade union activities, and provides recommendations and action plan for the involvement of women in the trade union. This research was conducted with 34 interviewees, 24 of them are from four factories. There are two federations involving in the research namely C.CAWDU and CLUF and ten are from town national federations. The key findings include as follows:
- Nearly all of women are members of the trade unions;
- There is high level of women involvement in the enterprise-level trade unions (deputy union leader, secretary, trainer, and women organizing committee);
and - Lack of understanding of labor law.
The ILO Consultant, Elso Ramos-Carbone, expressed the major reasons why women are not leading the garment unions. The major reasons include:
- The findings of survey in Cambodia identifies the major reasons....which are commone to all trade unions everywhere in the world; - Existence of prejudice: cultural factors (mentalities, behaviour, attitudes towards women and men; gendered roles/stereotyping; discrimination);
- Women's lack of confidence in their own abilities;
- The unequal division of family responsibilities; and
- Trade unins are not at " women-friendly".
The consultant provided a number of methods to tackle those challenges as follows:
- Awareness-raising, campaigns, education and training for men and women on gender sensitivity, gender equality, and sexual harassment;
- Firm commitment of trade union leaders to lead the fight for gender equality in the trade unions and elsewhere. Action, not only words!;
- Provide a women's place in her union;
- Building women-friendly unions;
- Adoption of gender policies and action plans/prgrammes;
- Charts/manifestos on the rights of working women at the workplace, in society and trade union;
- Gender equality project groups;
- Amendments to statutes (Constitutions) to include gender equality provisions and positive action measures; and
- Actively encouraging men to participate in events and campaigns organized by women and/or focused on issues of particular concern to them is another way of raising gender awareness.
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