Rita Goyit

The NLC recognises the peculiar nature of women’s role as affecting their ability or inability to participate effectively in the public sphere. Empowerment of women should therefore begin from a re-examination of the place of women within Nigerian society. The NLC is, therefore, committed to building a world where gender justice reigns, which recognises that change for women within the labour movement demands an internal restructuring, complemented by external working partnerships.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has made several attempts at addressing the issue of women participation and integration in the unions as far back as 1980. Some of these efforts have been successful while some have not been so successful.

The NLC however, in the struggle to rebuild the Labour Movement after its "independence" from military intervention and dictatorship, which lasted from 1994 to 1998, took up the issue of Gender mainstreaming as one of its major priority areas. Now more than ever, the NLC is committed to ensuring gender equity and social justice in the unions. This is clearly demonstrated by the adoption of a Gender policy at its 8th National Delegates Conference (the highest decision making body of the Congress) in February 2003. The policy seeks to mainstream gender and ensure a greater inclusion and participation of women at all levels of the NLC. This desire and commitment is captured in the Gender clause, which is meant to permeate all actions, policies and empowerment activities in the NLC. "The NLC affirms its belief and respect for equal opportunities for all Nigerians regardless of gender. The NLC recognises the peculiar nature of women’s role as affecting their ability or inability to participate effectively in the public sphere. Empowerment of women should therefore begin from a re-examination of the place of women within Nigerian society. The NLC is, therefore, committed to building a world where gender justice reigns, which recognises that change for women within the labour movement demands an internal restructuring, complemented by external working partnerships. Gender justice, as a cardinal principle of Congress, shall mean equal access to employment opportunities, absence of discriminatory practices against both genders and recognition of the productive and reproductive roles of each gender".

Other areas covered in the policy include Internal Restructuring, Human Resource Development, Equal Employment Opportunities, External Partnership, and Building Bridges of Cooperation with Civil Society and Governmental Relationships. All these are strategies aimed at mainstreaming gender.

The policy also made provision for affirmative Action, which stipulates that women are to occupy not less than 30% of leadership positions. The NLC will also ensure that unions are encouraged to adopt the policy and the affirmative actions.

To ensure women’s representation at the top leadership of the NLC and the right to be heard, the National Chairperson of the Women Commission of Congress was granted the status of the Vice President of Congress with all the rights and privileges of such an exalted office. The constitution was so amended to accommodate this progressive change thereby bringing the number of Vice President to five. Now that the Chairperson is a member of NAC, it brings to two the number of women in the National Executive of the NLC of a total of 13. There were motions passed and adopted at the NLC National Delegate Conference on Women and Gender Issues (see copies attached).

As part of the efforts in addressing gender issues in the NLC, the education policy states that;

• Gender issues should be integrated in all educational programmes and activities.
• Exclusive education programme must be provided for women members
• Women should make up at least 30% participation in non-women exclusive education activities.
• Education should be used to promote and encourage women’s participation in the unions at all levels.

It is also important to point out one of the steps the NLC has used to ensure women’s participation in the last National Delegate Conference. Unions were made to have not less than 10% of their delegates as women. This contributed to the significant presence of women at the conference. By the year 2006, the number will be increased to not less than 30%.

The NLC held its first successful Gender Conference in September 2003 with the theme: "Building Women: Building Unions". Being an historic event in the 25 years of the NLC, the Gender Conference had the following objectives:

• To provide a forum for mapping out a strategic vision and plan of action for the National Women Commission for the Nigeria Labour Congress.

• To constitute the NLC National Women Commission (NWC).

• Develop and promote union-wide consensus on Gender Equity

• To scrutinize employment practices in Nigeria, assess gender profiles in work organisations and identify factors that support discriminatory practices with a view to recommending appropriate measures that would guarantee equal access to employment for all genders.

• To make input into policies on women and consider appropriate national policy engagement strategy

• To consider and adopt strategies for networking between women in the unions and other organisations in the civil society and government agencies doing work on gender

• Develop Evaluation and Monitoring mechanisms

The highlight of the recently concluded Gender Conference of the NLC was the constitution and inauguration of the leadership of the National Women Commission, which is made up (9) nine officers.

The Conference also adopted a programme of Action to be implemented by the NLC and Industrial Unions. It also made recommendations on the work of the National Women Commission as well as the Gender Desk Officer of the NLC. There is no doubt that the NLC has made some progress in the area of gender and gender related issues. However there are still some challenges e.g.

• Lack of budgetary allocation for the commission and gender programmes.
• Male domination of leadership position both in the NLC and unions.
• Most unions do not have gender officers.
• Unions’ constitutions do not incorporate gender perspectives nor provide constitutional cover for the operations of women activities.
• Gender issues not regarded as priority areas for Collective Bargaining.
• Low understanding of gender issues amongst members.
• Inadequate full time women Trade Unionists mostly at the lower cadre

From the list above, it is evident there is still much to be done in this regard. To further facilitate gender work in the NLC we need assistance in these areas:

• Fund Raising
• Gender Trainings for Men and Women leaders in the unions.
• Capacity building/leadership development for officers of the National women Commission which include exchange/study visits, advance leadership programme, systematic and comprehensive gender training, specialized trainings etc.
• Development and production of Gender Training Manuals/other gender materials
• Training of Gender Trainers/facilitators.

Rita Goyit

Gender Desk Officer

Nigeria Labour Congress.