Breaking Through by Including Women!

Publicado: 27 Diciembre 2012
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 “Women workers and union members are key to an organization’s growth and development. We can break through challenges by organizing, recruiting and integrating more women into our work.” This was a core message which was repeated by Yoko Ogawa, Director of UNI Apro Women’s Activities in a series of national women empowerment programs held in South Asian countries.



In response to the “Breaking Through” strategies and the historic resolution on 40% women representation adopted unanimously by the 3rd UNI World Congress in Nagasaki in 2010, UNI affiliated unions have been making efforts to organize, recruit, train and empower women to be integrated more and eventually take up leadership roles in their unions as well as in UNI executives and sectors globally and regionally. On-going campaigns like “40for40” and “That” Why“ are not only to raise awareness among women themselves and men but also to take concrete and achievable actions involving you. “Including You” will be the theme for the 4th UNI World Congress in 2014 Cape Town.



In South Asia, workers in government sectors such as Banks, Post & Telecom, Media etc. are well organized in general, while private sectors such as commerce and IT are newly emerging and rapidly growing but employees especially working in multinational companies are not yet organized. There are also common tendencies in these countries that trade unions are divided politically, ideologically or for other reasons and that unions do not have positive images in society.



Women in the training courses realize that much need to be done to combat gender-based discrimination such as less opportunities to access education, training and to take more responsible roles, harassments, unequal treatments and conditions, male-domination prevailing at workplaces, in unions, at home and/or in society. These training courses gave them a sense of solidarity that women workers are not alone and that we can support each other locally and globally to make a difference. In each country, a small group of inspired women participants attending the course was created and it has started frequent communications via e-mail / Facebook to keep their motivation and aspiration to stimulate more engagement to union’s activities especially equality work.



UNI Apro is promoting “Partnership relationship” meaning that workers, trade unions and employers can work together for the company’s prosperity and workers’ betterment. This concept will also help improving union’s conventional image and attracting more women and young people to join. Before negotiation and dialog with the management, workers themselves have to be united. In unions too, women are able to contribute to overcome differences, unite workers equally and work in partnership with everyone as women are strong advocators for peace and justice.



Our goals can not be achieved overnight. Our struggle continues until a real equal society is with us.