BWI hopes for more pro-women policies, shares gender equality resolutions
The first resolution adopted the Swedish trade unionists’ “Stop the Macho Culture Campaign” for other BWI affiliates to emulate, and to draw attention to the advocacy from the global level. Initiated in Sweden by Byggnads, the “Stop the Macho Culture Campaign is a response to the uneven gender and power relations among men and women workers and the sexist culture prevalent in the construction industry. Designed as a nationwide media campaign, Swedish affiliates developed campaign and education materials to raise workers’ awareness on the matter.
The second resolution called for the empowerment of women in trades by urging BWI affiliates to develop vocational trainings, apprenticeships and skills certification programs for women workers. BWI also urged its affiliates to adopt advocacy strategies that integrates the framework and principles of gender equality in all post-COVID recovery plans, and strengthen women’s participation in trade union decision-making.
The resolution also called on trade union affiliates to include the principles of gender equality in their collective bargaining negotiations and convene dialogues on post-training employment linkages for skilled women workers.
The first resolution was submitted by PROFBUD, while the second one was endorsed by SEWA of India, the BWI-Nepal Affiliates Committee (BWI-NAC), NUBWW of Palestine and FGBB-UGTT of Tunisia.
As the global trade union movement marks this year’s 16 days of activism for the elimination of gender-based violence, BWI hoped that by sharing the said resolutions, they will inspire more gender equality policy initiatives amongst the ranks of organised labour, and serve as a constant reminder to its affiliates of the goals that they must realise in the coming years to further promote a gender-equal future.
Read the resolutions.