International Women’s Day From CCWU

In 2024, The Clerical & Commercial Workers Union celebrated International Women’s Day as women around the world gathered to march for women’s social and economic autonomy. The 4th Global Action of the World March of Women will bring together women activists from every continent on the planet, united in their demands for a sustainable and caring economy and social justice, peace, and democracy. 

Twenty-nine years ago, governments adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – a ground-breaking road map for governments, civil society, trade unions, and private sector actors for the advancement of gender equality and women’s rights.

Trade Union Movement has celebrated March 8th as International Working Women’s Day. Under the theme: “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.”

The world is facing many crises, ranging from geopolitical conflicts to soaring poverty levels and the escalating impacts of climate change. These challenges can only be addressed by solutions that empower women. By investing in women, we can spark change and speed the transition toward a healthier, safer, and more equal world for all. 

Twenty-nine years on, the challenges remain stark: 

1. Women’s trade union membership stands on average at 40 percent, yet women occupy only 15 percent of the top decision-making positions in their organizations. 
2. Women’s labour force participation rates are stagnating at 26 percentage points lower than those of men. 
3. Women continue to predominate in informal, low-quality, precarious, and undervalued jobs. 
4. Women’s average wages are between 4 and 36 percent less than those of men. 
5. Gender-based violence remains an all-too-tolerated feature of the workplace, with no comprehensive international legal standard to outlaw it. 

The long shadow of austerity continues to affect women heavily, cutting jobs where women have traditionally worked; slashing public services which women tend to rely on more than men, and increasing their already disproportionate share of care responsibilities. Women living in poverty are particularly vulnerable to economic policies that redistribute wealth away from the 99% to the 1%, whilst their labour subsidizes global and local economies by providing the care services that governments won’t fund. 

On 8th March 2024, the CCWU called, for governments, policymakers, and businesses to adopt an economic agenda for women. An agenda that includes a jobs and growth plan to increase women’s access to decent work. An economic agenda that will tackle structural barriers to women’s effective labour force participation, including through adequate investment in care provision, creating decent care jobs for women and men, family-friendly workplaces, and workplaces free from violence. An economic agenda that will lift women and families out of poverty and provide a sustainable model of growth. 

Violence against women is a big issue worldwide especially here in Guyana. Violence in the home leads to physical and mental health issues for all members experiencing violence. What is sad is that this violence stops women from enjoying their basic rights, to work, to help raise a family, and to live a long, healthy life, free of fear.

We heard repeatedly about gender equality, that women should have equal rights as men.  We know some of the troubling statistics related to women’s issues of health and wellbeing including maternal death. So, what can be done to improve the lives of women so that they can enjoy the same rights that men do? Men must play a very important role in reaching gender equality for all. They should be part of the solution. Men need to have role models who teach them good leadership and problem-solving skills and treat women with respect, both men and women need to work together without the use of violence.

Today also serves as a day to keep women’s issues in the spotlight because, despite all their accomplishments, women still do not enjoy the same rights as men. They are still more likely to die from HIV/AIDS and climate change, live in poverty, and suffer from gender-based violence.

This year let’s turn that into a global act of solidarity. Trade Union leader Sister Jimena Lopez was sacked from her cabin crew job after a successful organizing drive at her workplace. 

Yours faithfully,

Sherwood Clarke

General Secretary

Clerical & Commercial Workers’ Union