Ratify convention to protect women in transport sector- Group urges govt
The Ghana Women Transport Workers Committee has called on the government to ratify and subsequently implement the International Labour Convention 190 to protect women in the transport sector against harassment.
On June 21, 2019, the International Labour Conference, as part of efforts to eliminate violence and harassment at work places, adopted the new International Labour Standard Convention on Violence and Harassment, Convention (No.190).
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This is to provide a clear road map to preventing and addressing violence and harassment at the work place.
According to the committee, due to the male-dominant nature of the transport sector, the convention was vital to protect the rights of women in the sector.
They made the call at a capacity building workshop organised by the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), a global union of transport workers' trade unions, for women in affiliate unions in the country.
It was held on the theme, “Fighting against harassment and violence through the ratification and implementation of the International Labour Convention 190”.
The workshop, which was attended by female representatives of the federation’s affiliates in the country, including the General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers' Union (GTPCWU), Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Railways Workers’ Union (RWU) and the Merchant Navy, was aimed at building the capacity of the participants on the convention
Vital to productivity
Speaking on the sidelines, the Women Coordinator of the GTPCWU of the TUC, Cynthia Baah, said the protection of women was vital in increasing productivity in the sector.
She added that some women, who transported workers, were forced to share rooms and use the same changing rooms as well as washrooms with men.
“Most of the harassment happen to women transport workers who travel to far places to conduct their businesses,” Ms Baah explained.
She, therefore, called on the government to come to their aid, saying: “We want the government to come out and rectify the convention for us as workers to bring about decent working conditions”.
Strategic partner
The Deputy Regional Secretary of ITF-Africa said the federation recognised Ghana as a strategic partner, and for that reason, was committed to highlighting the nation’s importance on the global stage with regard to transport.
He, however, noted that the country lacked a strong representation of women in the transport sector and called for an increased participation of women in the leadership structure.
Resolution
The General Secretary of the GTPCWU of the TUC, Fuseni Iddrisu, urged the women committee to draft and present to the government, a resolution, which would highlight the interest of women transport workers.
In addition, he pledged to mount pressure on the government and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations by leading the committee in presenting the draft.
“We cannot do anything without women, so we need to empower them if we want to build a better Ghana,” Mr Iddrisu said.