Public Services International Urges Governments To Tackle Gender Inequality

Governments across the world have been urged to make social care a public service provision in order to ensure women take up training opportunities and capacity building to tackle gender inequalities in the world of work.

Vice President, Public Services International, PSI, Africa and Arab Countries, Mr Peters Adeyemi said this during opening of the PSI Africa and Arab Countries Regional Women Conference holding from 11th to 13th July 2023 in Abuja.

He said the meeting was holding against the backdrop of increased unpaid care work, loss of jobs, increase in gender based violence as a result of Covid-19 outbreak that affected normal work life and increased economic pressure.

“We observed that that the role of women workers in the economy has always been charaterised by gender inequality, gender based violence and unpaid care work,” Mr Adeyemi stated.

He also said the adoption of the C190 in june 2019 aimed at recognising the right of all people to be free from violence and harassment in the World of Work was not only a victory for workers but for women as it will enhance gender equality.

According to Mr Adeyemi, “in this regard we want to commend the countries in Africa, Arab region that have ratified the convention and these include Somalia, Namibia, Nigeria South Africa, Lesotho and Mauritius.”

The PSI World Women’s Committee chair in Nigeria, Ladi Illya while speaking on the theme; “Women Workers together breaking barriers Towards Gender Equality” called on the conference to focus on insecurity, gender equality and climate change.

“Sincerely speaking apart from the issue of politics in Nigeria, we have to deal with the issue of insecurity, that’s the issue of communal clashes and the rest, it has not been easy and the most affected are the women either workers or house wives or farmers.

“It is my humble. Believe that as we sit towards this conference that we’ll be able to bring down resolutions that affects women or women workers in general.”

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero, while addressing the conference noted that women often shy away from leadership positions offered to them and hardly support themselves in attaining leadership positions.

“So as we talk about men domination, please let us talk about women not accepting their own, very important, if a man comes up to contest the election with a woman in a union you know that you have 90% Women domination, the man was still winning. So what is happening?

“I think we need to think outside the box to find a solution to this representation,” he added.

Confidence Okwuchi