Volume 11, No.2 - June-August 2002

Gender-Implementing our gender policy

 

In the last Shopsteward, Mummy Jafta, COSATU's National Gender Coordinator, set out COSATU's policies on gender. Now she turns her attention to a strategy for the effective implementation of that policy.
The COSATU Gender Policy is underpinned by human rights and democratic principles that recognise women's right to participate freely in the socio-economic processes, in both their private and public life, as a fundamental freedom.

The policy is a framework to achieve the federation's vision of building a non-racial, non-sexist democratic society. It analyses the current situation, recommends policies for building gender equality in the workplace and the unions, including affirmative action mechanisms, measurable targets and indicators of progress.
It expresses our aspirations and informs us all what role we can play in eliminating gender inequality. It is a means for effective enforcement and monitoring of affirmative action measures and to mainstream gender perspective into our activities, programmes and culture.

Intended Outcomes

Under the policy, affiliates are expected to:

• Work towards a shared vision and common understanding of gender struggles and strategies;
  
• Translate the vision and principles underpinning it into concrete action to accelerate transformation;
  
• Involve and inform role players and encourage trade unionists, leaders in particular, to be sensitive and vocal and to give political direction;
  
• Become proponents of gender equality and encourage members to do the same at the workplace, and in the home by sharing domestic responsibilities;
  
• Engage all structures in debates to advance our members' consciousness;
  
• Achieve collective leadership and accountability;
  
• Give office bearers a meaningful role in providing political direction and make them accountable for the success or failure of the gender structures;
  
• Stimulate critical thinking and evaluation of approaches and strategies;
  
• Create platforms for regular assessment and timeous interventions;
  
• Develop their own policies, strategies, action plans and monitoring mechanisms;
  
• Sensitise leadership to express their members' aspirations;
  
• Co-operate with NALEDI and SHEP to get research to provide information and identify strategies;
  
• Allow gender representatives to give feedback and collect mandates through constitutional structures;
  
• Have clear timeframes for developing positions, action plans and evaluation and monitoring mechanisms;
• Strategize to ensure that the programme of action is implemented successfully.

Measurable Targets: Developing an Action Plan

Affiliates are tasked to develop an action plan for the implementation of five key focus areas. They will then report on the progress of these plans and whether they have met the targets set. These reports will be compiled into one report to reflect progress and areas where there is a need for improvement and intervention.
Each affiliate should deploy office bearers to ensure that gender structures are functioning and that they have sufficient support and resources to achieve their objectives. General Secretaries will be accountable for reporting to the COSATU CEC and ensuring that the action plan is implemented.
These are the five areas:

1. Women's Leadership

• Set up systems for ongoing collection of statistics on women's leadership at national, regional, local and shop steward level, and a gender breakdown of membership;
  
• Report on the mechanisms that have been identified to increase women's representation, for example:
  - Ex-officio membership
  - Portfolio positions,
  - Proportional representation,
  - Quotas
  
• Identify strategies to build the qualitative aspect of women's leadership, such as developmental and mentorship programmes, and report on the monitoring of these;
  
• Set up a campaign for the election of women as shop stewards, including publicity, education and support programmes.

2. Collective Bargaining

Employment Equity legislation creates the space for unions to negotiate the elimination of barriers to women's employment. Affiliates are tasked to develop an action plan, collect data on existing agreements and report on progress in the following areas:

• Parental Rights Agreements, ensuring that the following minimum basic demands are put forward:
  - A minimum of 6 months fully-paid maternity leave;
  - Childcare facilities;
  
• Sexual harassment policy at company/workplace level, as part of the employment equity process;
  
• HIV/AIDS policy;
  
• Employment of women - Affiliates should monitor the changing employment profile of women and the gender impact of changing employment practices.

3. Employment Equity in trade unions

• COSATU and affiliates must develop Employment Equity plans, including:
  
  - Affirmative action strategy
  - Recruitment policy
  - Childcare policy
  - Developmental programmes

4. Sexual harassment

Affiliates must develop an action plan on eliminating sexual harassment including:

• Zero tolerance of sexual harassment;
  
• Awareness-raising;
  
• A free environment for reporting sexual harassment offences and clear procedures and practice (e.g. sexual harassment officers).

5. Building gender structures

• Establishment of women or gender structures;
  
• Appointment of fulltime Gender Co-ordinators;
  
• Mobilising of resources to ensure their effective functioning.