By Admore Marambanyika

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has oriented its Regional Women’s Committee structures on their roles, functions and civic duties.

The orientation workshops which were conducted this month across the labour body’s six regions under the theme “TOWARDS A MORE GENDER EQUAL WORLD OF WORK” saw the elected committees and councillors oriented.

The main objectives of the orientation were to develop skills and capacity on:- Leadership, good governance and personalmastery; Roles and Functions of Women Structures; Meeting procedures; Gender sensitive organising and membership retention, Trade Union communication and information management, OSH and the fundamental right to a healthy

work environment, ILC 2023 Resolutions on Just Transition and labour protection, Labour amendment 11 of 2023 and its gaps. It also sensitised them on their civic duties  and team building resilient to challenges associated with representing working women towards a more gender equal world of work.

Officially opened by the respective regional women’s committee Chairpersons, the workshops emphasized on building a stronger women’s presence and participation in the trade union.

“This is an important workshop in which we get knowledge, leadership skills and share information on the gender dimension of issues such as organising, information management, labour protection, just transition as well as occupational safety and health. Comrades we must be open enough to express our fears, needs, perspectives and possible strategies to achieve a more equal world, as we face the current socio – economic challenges, the climate change impact on labour rights and the future of work. Women empowerment is an integral part of achieving gender equality and equity, for this will not be realised if we do not empower the marginalised groups,” read part of the speech.

“The skills and knowledge we will get at this training will therefore be critical for us moving forward. We gather here at a time when there is torment and suffering for the working class in particular working women who have borne the brunt of poverty, violation of rights and various abuses in the workplace which include sexual harassment and discrimination. COVID-19 pandemic, Cyclone Idai, Floods and other disasters have equally left a mark in our lives and things will never be the same again. This calls for serious reflections on our state of disaster preparedness as a labour movement and the kind of just transition we want. We need to adopt strategies that will ensure we build resilience amongst our members. We must also influence national policies to strengthen social protection benefits for all workers in case of future pandemics and disasters. The unpaid care work burden for women and gender based violence continue to increase and have become social pandemics that also need urgent attention. We therefore come here today and tomorrow, to learn, reflect as well as strategise on these and other key issues affecting women. I urge you comrades to do your best to participate and share your experiences. Team building, is always a crucial part of ZCTU programmes and unity of purpose is the only way to succeed for us,” read the speech.

ZCTU education department head Fiona Magaya said it was important that the structure was made aware of what it is expected to do for the smooth operations of ZCTU business in the regions.

“The structures have different roles and functions but there are instances where they are expected to perform the similar functions with other organs so these orientations assists in creating harmony for smooth operations with each structure aware of its parameters,” she said.

She added that they were capacitating and enhancing the committees' skills and knowledge to achieve smooth running and growth of the organisation.

 “The orientation also seeks to enhance the leaders' knowledge regarding trade union formation, values, principles, ideology as well as to educate them on the concept of working class struggles and the evolving dynamics,” she said.

The committees were also sensitised on their responsibilities including on meeting procedures in terms of the ZCTU Constitution.