Women Worker’s Rights

In accordance with Article-7 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights declared by the United Nations in 10 December 1948, “All are Equal in the Eye of Law and Entitled to Protect Equally is Beyond of Any Discrimination”. But in the case of women workers of informal labour sector in Bangladesh that include rice mill workers, earth workers, hotel workers and brick field workers, it is not applicable at all. In all respects, they are deprived from their basic and constitutional rights as the citizens of the country and the rights which are entitled according to the conventions of International Labour Organization (ILO).

As workers, the women workers are supposed to be protected by a range of conventions declared by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and ratified by the Government of Bangladesh, but their rights are denied in every step. Though the C100 Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951, of ILO is ratified by the Government of Bangladesh, but the target groups/ women workers always have to face discrimination of equal remuneration in their work place.
According to the ILO Convention the women workers have the right to job security but the women workers of informal sectors have to face the threatening of loosing the job. It is nationally and internationally recognized (ILO Convention No- 30) that every labourer will involve in their workstation for providing services for the period of maximum eight hours per day. But in case of women workers of informal sector, it is not enjoyable. Rather they have to spend around twelve hours from sun rising to dusk. According to the ILO Convention No 141, the workers of the informal labour sectors in the rural area have the right to be organized, but rural women workers have no their own organization to raise and protect their rights and to bargain and lobby for them. Moreover, there are no capable civil society organizations to stand for them to protect their rights. According to the Factories Act 1965 of Bangladesh and the rules framed hereunder provide for various amenities for the welfare of the workers which the factory authorities are bound to provide for women workers in every factory – (a) Adequate and suitable facilities for washing and bathing shall be provided and maintained for the use of the workers therein; (b) Separate and adequately screened facilities shall be provided for the use of male and female workers and (c) Such facilities shall be conveniently accessible and shall be kept clean. But informal sector’s women workers of Bangladesh are deprived from that. The situation of the women workers of rural informal labour sector is frustrating.

Objectives of the action

Overall objective(s): To eliminate all forms of discrimination against women workers of in-formal labour sector in rural Bangladesh through capacitating women workers and civil society organizations (CSOs) in organizing comprehensive advocacy efforts.
Specific objective: To create an enabling environment at the community level through establishing integrated civil society coalitions (CSCs) to effectively conduct advocacy and stand for the

Partner

• Grameen Unnayan Sangstha (GUS) for Jessore district
• Provati Palli Unnayan O Sheba Sangstha (PPUSS) for Kushtia district will participate as partners of the action.

Target group

A total of estimated 19,950 marginalized women workers of in-formal labour sector in rural Bangladesh and their 3-5 year old children will be the primary target groups of the action, as they will be directly positively affected by the action. The children of the women workers will also be the target groups of the action.

Final beneficiaries

Around 89,975 family members of the target groups and the women workers of other districts of the country will also be the final beneficiaries. The policy makers, members of the civil society organizations (CSOs) and civil society coalitions (CSCs), UP representatives, relevant GoB officials, NGO leaders/workers, members of the women workers’ associations to be formed and the employers and employers’ associations will specifically be final beneficiaries.

Estimated results

Result-01: A community based civil society approach to raise right to be heard and stand for promoting and protecting the rights of women workers of in-formal labour sector in rural Bangladesh developed;
Result-02: The right to organization of women workers of in-formal labour sector in rural Bangladesh to move up, stand for, advocate, negotiate and lobby for their rights of standard and environmentally sound work station, security of employment and various amenities for welfare established;
Result-03: The capacity of women workers and civil society organizations (CSOs) to equip for bargaining and negotiating with employers and their associations enhanced;
Result-04: A comprehensive advocacy approach followed to change women workers’ situation and address their demand;
Result-05: Accessibility of the target groups to the services like basic and life skills education as well as legal aid enhanced and
Result-06: Excellent practices, good and fruitful learning and value adding outcomes generated from the Project documented and replicated.

Main activities

Activities Contributing to Result-01:
Conducting a wellbeing survey; Conducting training and advocacy needs assessment; Identification of civil society organizations (CSOs); Development of civil society coalition (CSC) at upazila levels; and Ensuring legal entities of CSOs and CSCs.
Activities Contributing to Result-02:
Identification of sector wise women workers in rural informal sector; Formation of associations and federations of women workers; and Ensuring legal entities of associations and federations of women workers. A
Activities Contributing to Result-03:
Imparting training to the members of CSOs and CSCs; Imparting training to the members of associations and federations of women workers; Strengthening the capacity of CSOs, CSCs and associations and federations of women workers that are being operated in Jhenaidah under ongoing EC funded project, and Meetings of associations, federations, CSOs and CSCs.
Activities Contributing to Result-04:
Preparing documentary films and arranging shows; preparing and setting billboard; developing popular theatre team and arranging shows on women workers’ right issues; advocacy materials development; Organizing advocacy workshops; Holding advocacy meetings and Round table discussion and Develop cooperation framework.
Activities Contributing to Result-05:
Providing legal aid supports through establishing legal aid service clinic (LASC); providing life skills education to the women workers; providing centre based basic education to the children of women workers; conducting health counselling for the women workers; conducting advocacy and lobbying to make access of the women workers to khash land; publishing and distributing information book on local public services.
Activities Contributing to Result-06:
Conduct annual review; conduct project end evaluation; learning documentation; preparing annual lesson book and final dissemination workshop.