ActionAid vows to promote access to decent work for women
ActionAid has said there need for gender responsive public services which government to achieve decent work for women.
In an interview with during the commemoration of Global decent work in Lilongwe, ActionAid Malawi acting head of fundraising, Yandura Chipeta said women are facing a lot of challenges in the world of work for example sexual harassment.
She said that ActionAid has a particular interest to ensure that those particular public services should have a gender lens to ensure that they are meeting both practical and strategic gender needs for both men and women.
“As we are cerebrating this day our focus is on participation of women in decent work and how it relates to unpaid work that women do at home and in the community,” Chipeta said.
She added that statics show that in the whole world women bear 75 per cent of unpaid work and this affects their participation in paid economy as such they cannot do something that is productive.
Malawi Congress of Trade Union (MCTU), Deputy Director, Jessie Ching’oma said women and girls are exposed to all forms of violence and discrimination in the world of work for example low or no wages ,poor working conditions and also exposure to HIV and AIDS as well as exploitation among others.
She added that the high rate of unemployment has also fuelled violence to women at work places as most young women are being involved in voluntary work or internship which is making them more venerable to abuse.
Ching’oma said decent work involves opportunities for work that is productive, both formal and informal.
He urged women who are experiencing such problems at work to report to organisations which deal with such issues and those who are aware that such incidence are happening in their offices to report the perpetrators
“Apart from that we want is to lobby with the government and authorities to make sure there is an enforcement of labour law and also consider ratifying some of the international labour organisations conventions that are speaking to issues of decent work,” she said.
The day was patronised by women from various work places.
One of the participants Chisomo Phiri who is a domestic worker said decent work deficits affects her as well because they she face a lot challenges .
She recalls one time when she was demised unfairly for no good reason and on top of that she was getting low wages.
Phiri said for decent work to be affectively achieved there is need to approach people who employ others so that they understand what it means to provide decent work to their people.
The focus this year is on the widening equality unemployment, increased job insecurities and high unemployment especially among the youth.
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