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More action is needed to achieve equity, equality, non-discrimination and women empowerment in trade agreements. Here are five trade union demands for mainstreaming gender in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
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The recent crime statistics released by the South African Police Service show Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is devastatingly pervasive. Lindelwe Nxumalo, Women’s Rights Programme Manager at ActionAid, offers some actions for ensuring a successful national response to GBV.
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Nontyatyambo Makapela, Programme Officer at Sister Love International South Africa, reflects on how GBV is a barrier to women’s full participation in the economy and the need for building resilient and sustainable support organisations.
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Sexual harassment in the workplace is manifesting in more subtle forms. Know more and protect your rights as a worker.
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When stakeholders act collectively, it is possible to transform the norms, policies and practices that perpetuate gender-based violence in the workplace.
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Our range of resources address the key workplace issues for young women workers and are useful for the union that wants to tap into the creativity and energy that empowered young women members can bring to the organisation.
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Our facilitation exercise will strengthen the ability of workshop participants to understand concepts and have the confidence to bargain with a gender equity lens. Get your copy.
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As South Africa celebrates Women’s Month, Johan Botes of Baker McKenzie explores the findings of a new report highlighting the economic costs of sexual harassment and suggests ways in which the situation could be changed.
Outcome: Strengthen our understanding of social dialogue in creating gender equity.
Women feel more confident in participating in political economy discussions.
Outcome: Strengthening our understanding and confidence in bargaining with a gender equity lens.
Outcome: Reflection on our organisational policies and practices in relation to creating a gender-equitable trade union.
Outcome: Participants feel comfortable, supported and confident in participating in the workshop.
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As an educator and facilitator in the Gender Equality Programme of Labour Research Service, I am exposed to human trauma often. Here’s my advice on how to be more resilient.
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It’s proven that exercises and games activate our senses and increase creative learning of new concepts and understanding of ideas. Our collection of facilitation exercises will help trainers involved in participatory education activities for workers.
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Nina Benjamin, LRS Gender Equality Programme Leader, takes stock of her role supporting teacher trade unions in sub-Saharan Africa to create safe schools.
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This document draws on the experience of nine education trade unions that want to end school-related gender-based violence in their contexts.
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This online course designed by the LRS for the Online Learning Academy of International Federation of Workers’ Education Associations (IFWEA) is for activists who want to facilitate gender equality education programmes.
Learn a simple step by step approach to bargaining for gender equity in the workplace
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Learn a simple step by step approach to bargaining for gender equity in the workplace.
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Here’s a collection of my favourite books written by women workers, survivors of gender-based violence, school girls and community activists. The writers’ reflections are powerful and empowering.
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Participants at FEDUSA’s webinar on gender-based violence urged the government to ratify ILO C190 against violence in the world of work.
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A conversation with Nina Benjamin, Leader of Gender Equality Programme at the Labour Research Service
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“The pandemic made us to explore alternative models of leadership that are not militaristic, patriarchal and undemocratic.” Crecentia Mofokeng, Regional Representative for Africa, Building and Wood Workers’ International
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President of Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Associations and StreetNet International, Lorraine Ndlovu, on how the covid-19 pandemic affected her activism. “We are rethinking our approach to women’s leadership development.”
Inspiring stories written by participants in the Education Unions Take Action to end School-Related Gender-Based Violence initiative.
Nine member trade unions of Educational International in Africa participated in the ‘Education unions take action to end school-related gender-based violence’ initiative.
It’s possible to transform the norms, policies and practices that perpetuate gender-based violence in our schools when stakeholders act collectively.
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Despite the progressive laws, workers who are LGBTI+ continue to experience violence and discrimination.
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With the school closures, reduced support services and a lack of community support, these young South Africans are more vulnerable.
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What will it take to build LGBT inclusive workplaces in South Africa? We support the efforts of trade unions to build inclusive and safe workplaces where LGBTI workers feel free to claim their rights.
The 12 key initiatives for mitigating the immediate negative impact of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) on women workers in Africa.
Trade union and civil society activists in South Africa explore practical strategies for ending homophobia.
This booklet provides educators, parents and learners with a basic understanding of sexual orientation and gender identity, with the objective of ending discrimination and prejudice in institutions of learning and society.
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Research on violence in schools in South Africa shows the issue is worsening. South African Democratic Teachers Union has mapped the key action areas to end the violence.
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Twenty-five years after Beijing, there’s progress for women workers in South Africa but major challenges remain.
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Teacher unions in South Africa are confronting school-related gender-based violence to restore a safe learning environment and the dignity of the teaching profession.
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In The Gambia where the prevalence of female genital mutilation in women aged 15-49 is 74.9%, trade union activists are breaking the culture of silence to ensure the girl child is safe.
Teachers and education unions are at the forefront of the efforts to end school-related gender-based violence in sub-Saharan Africa.
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School-Related Gender-Based Violence is violence that undermines the bodily integrity, human rights, and gender equality of all those involved in the school but primarily that of the school child.
Ending violence, discrimination and harassment in the workplace is a union issue.
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The root cause of gender-based violence is inequitable gender norms. What can you do to help end GBV?
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South Africa’s labour market is more favourable to men than to women, and the fourth industrial revolution may widen the gap, writes Dr Rachel Adams, Research Specialist at Human Sciences Research Council.
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Trade unions campaigned for ILO Convention 190 on ending violence and harassment in the world of work. The challenge now is getting the governments to ratify the convention.
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Our interview with Dorcus Sekabate, the Vice President of Gender at the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU), reminds us that violence in schools is a global tragedy.
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UNTU’s Siphiweokuhle Sithole, 31, is among the women unionists fighting to instil cultures of gender equality in workplaces in South Africa.
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FEDUSA’s Babongile Dumani is a male champion supporting the rights of working women in southern Africa.
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Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workers continue to experience discrimination, harassment and violence. How grave is the issue in South Africa? Learn more…
South Africa’s Constitution was the first in the world to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation. Learn how we got here.
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What will it take for trade unions to make collective bargaining an active mechanism for the promotion of gender equality at the workplace?
Useful information on LGBT issues and tips for labour organisations looking to better support their members who are LGBT.
This booklet provides accurate information for LGBTI+ workers, their trade unions and employers.
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To prevent and end school-related gender-based violence in sub-Saharan Africa, teacher unions are collaborating to find solutions that can bring sustainable changes.
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Gender-based violence in the healthcare sector is a priority issue. How are unions in South Africa responding?
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Against daunting odds, a remarkable exception has emerged in the Vaal region of Gauteng Province where community members are working together to end gender-based violence.
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Nosipho Twala writes about her experience travelling in a Metrorail train in Gauteng Province and discovering a space with a creative blend of consciousness-raising, organising and mobilising.
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As an educator and facilitator in the LRS Gender Programme, I am exposed to human trauma often. Here’s advise on how to become more resilient.
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How are things changing for women in the labour force in South Africa? Nina Benjamin, LRS Gender Programme Coordinator, takes stock of our gender equality work and the emerging issues.
This paper looks at how the Letsema Project (a collective impact initiative) contributed to changing norms that reproduce gender-based violence in the Vaal in Gauteng Province of South Africa.
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The latest crime statistics show our society is becoming more violent, and the poor are most affected. Unbowed by the violence, here’s how one community is responding.
Community activists in five organisations share insights and perspectives about the changes in their organisations and the constituencies they work with.
Urgent priorities of organising can leave little time for activists to write or document experiences. The powerful stories in this book are the result of a writing workshop for assisting activists to find a voice and language to describe and express their experiences working to change gender relations in their
What will it take to end the challenges that devalue working women’s contribution to society?
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School-related gender-based violence is rampant but preventable. Appalled, teachers are now out to change the story.
The health trade union, HOSPERSA, mapped its journey strengthening equality in the union, workplace and community.
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Learn how we are supporting health union responses to gender-based violence in South Africa
The Meadowlands Clinic Pilot Project brought together all stakeholders involved in the health system in one locality to take up actions that will collectively impact on reducing the high levels of gender-based violence.
Young women involved in the Decisions for Life campaign in South Africa share their own stories and experiences making the trade union a home for young women.
The Decisions for life: Sexual harassment booklet focuses on sexual harassment in the workplace and the protections available to workers.
This booklet shows the impact of the Decisions for Life campaign on the lives of young women workers.
The booklet features examples of work contracts as well as basic workplace rights, to inform young women workers of their right to decent work.
This booklet focuses on young working mothers and the challenges they experience trying to continue breastfeeding when they return to work.
The Decisions for Life campaign builds the power of young women so that they are able to confront issues in the workplace and make decisions about their lives.
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We support the efforts of trade unions in the health sector to end gender-based violence in the health system.
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We support the struggle by activists to create zero percent Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in communities in South Africa.
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What will it take to support education unions to end school-related gender-based violence? Labour Research Service supports the struggle by trade unions to end school-related gender-based violence in Africa.
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We support trade union activists in creating cultures of gender equality in the trade union and workplace.
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The Gender Equality Programme of the Labour Research Service supports the building of cultures of gender equality in trade unions, the workplace and community.
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Decisions for Life campaign aimed to achieve better working conditions for young women and to increase their numbers in trade unions and union leadership positions.
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The Labour Rights for Women campaign empowers women to organise and defend their rights in the workplace.
How can a National Minimum Wage contribute to narrowing the gender pay gap and moving us closer to gender equality?
This report explores the disconnect between trade union labour policy and practice related to gender inequality.
This booklet outlines the various laws relating to workplace rights and provides advice on preventing and responding to discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
The stories in this book are written by the participants of Letsema, our inspiring collective impact initiative for ending gender-based violence in the Vaal in Gauteng province.