Nepal: Union rights and gender issues highlighted at educators’ workshop
EI and its national affiliates, the Nepal National Teachers' Association (NNTA), the Nepal Teachers' Association (NTA), and the Sansthagat Vidyalaya Schickshak Union Nepal (ISTU), co-organised a joint workshop on trade union rights and gender issues in trade unions, education and society in Kathmandu, Nepal, from 22-24 October. Discussions were held on gender equality and women’s rights in education, unions and society, as well as on International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions and the UN Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW).
Thirty five participants attended and their shared union reports provided useful insights to EI regional coordinator Pathma Krishnan.
According to statistics from the Nepalese Department of Education, there are 41.5 per cent of female teachers at primary level, 27.4 per cent at lower secondary level, 31.8 per cent at higher secondary level, and 16.1 per cent at tertiary education level.
The following rights are also guaranteed in the constitution of Nepal: No discrimination against any citizen in the application of general laws on the grounds of religion, race, sex, caste, tribe or ideological convictions; and no discrimination regarding remuneration shall be made between men and women for the same work.
Key issues covered
This joint workshop aimed at helping participants to:
• Better understand gender equality issues in education, unions, and society in Nepal
• Design strategies to increase the participation of women in teachers’ trade unions, education and society
• Better understand the CEDAW and the ILO Convention Number 183 on maternity protection benefits
• Design a strong union action plan for future follow-up to promote gender equality in teachers’ trade unions, education and society
“The objectives of the activity and participants’ expectations were achieved,” stressed Krishnan. “Participants were sensitised on trade union fundamental principles, on EI gender priority areas, on the EI Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) 2013-2015, CEDAW, and ILO Convention 183.”
Equality and rights
The EI GEAP, she added, highlights three main priorities in the run up to 2015: promoting gender equality within unions; securing girls’ access to and participation in quality public education; and promoting and securing women’s economic empowerment
Krishnan also presented ILO conventions 87, 98, 100 and 111 pertaining to trade union rights.
Participants, helped by strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis, further set up an Action Plan for each union.
Their recommendations are:
· Follow-up workshops for other national and branch leaders on gender equality in unions, CEDAW and ILO conventions
· Female leaders in leadership roles and training on leadership skills
· Affiliates to recommend local resource persons for some topics
· Translation of training materials to Nepalese if possible
