Anthony Yaw Baah, Secretary General, TUC
The leadership of the Trades Union Congress (Ghana) has congratulated all working women in Ghana and across the world “for their immense contributions towards building a more equitable and just society.”
The TUC gesture is in commemoration of the just ended International Women’s Day whose theme was “Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.”
In a statement on the subject, the congress stated that “everywhere in the world, women are at the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis and some of the countries that are winning the fight against the pandemic are headed by women.”
This year’s theme, the TUC observed, is also aligned to the theme of the 65th session of the commission on the “Status of Women”, which it adds, calls for women’s rights to decision-making in all areas of life and an end to all forms of violence against women and girls.
Continuing, the TUC pointed out that “COVID-19 has proved to be a workplace and community health and safety issue. Jobs and livelihoods are among the hardest hit. Large numbers of workers have lost their jobs. Many of those that have kept their jobs are faced with pay cuts and uncertainties. From education to health, transport and hospitality to the informal economy, workers have lost and continue to lose their employment and livelihoods. Part-time employees and casual workers are the most vulnerable.”
Members of the national unions affiliated to the TUC, many of whom are women, are at frontlines in the fight against COVID-19, the statement went on, adding that “the TUC continues to work with government and private sector employers to explore ways of mitigating the social and economic impacts of the pandemic.
Government and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection should work with the TUC and other key stakeholders to ensure the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill (AAB).
The Congress also called on government to ratify International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 190 on Violence and Harassment in the World of Work.
By A.R. Gomda