After naming and shaming the exclusion of women from trade union work, a recommendation to strengthen women’s role in trade unions || Newspapers (Arabic)

The Federation of Arab Trade Unions concluded its regional conference yesterday.  The seminar was entitled “strengthening the role of women in Arab trade unions” and had started earlier this week.  Eleven recommendations were drafted including a) pressuring Arab Federations to ensure a 50% participation of women at all levels and in all activities; b) reforming the current by-laws so that they include a minimum of 30% representation of women in leadership positions; c) changing the Federation’s constitution so that there are two reserved seats for women in the general secretariat; and d) including women in the drafting of the Federation’s new constitution.
The Conference called for developing projects to build the capacities of women workers, strengthening the role of Arab women networks, reviewing legal labor frameworks in the Arab region and harmonizing these with international convention and develop a social safety net.
The Conference highlighted the extent to which women are absent from trade union work.  In fact, one woman union member noted in her interview with As Safir that “the recommendations of the conference are a clear indication of how bad the realities are in terms of the role and representation of women in trade unions which remains modest and even insignificant in addition to the fact that leadership positions continue to be hogged by men some of whom consider them as private property. For more information about the workshop c.f Strengthening women’s role in Arab trade unions published on WEEPortal on 12/2/2013

Source: Al-Safir, Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Diyar 14 February 2013