Why do women's voices need to be heard in union leadership.

 As a second time attendee at UN Commission on the Status of Women #UNCSW65 i appreciate that there is a space to reflect on the position and role of women in every walk of life, in pretty much every context - globally.

Although online, this year is no different except now we find ourselves juggling all the other responsibilities we have as women in the home with finding space to attend a global conference of other women doing the same, domestic duties, paid work, caring responsibilities and of course, dealing with a global pandemic.

But for a moment,  you are able to connect with other women across the world and find that there are definitely moments of clarity, understanding and purpose. 

As women and girls, we are more than half the population yet our needs are very rarely considered let alone met. In a meeting concerning infrastructure, a moment of clarity for me was even the way our transport links are planned doesn't take into account the needs of women. And don't even get me started on the planning around toilets! 

Without women are in the room and who are empowered to speak up, our needs become an after thought.

Even in sectors that are majority women i.e. Education, our leadership is still dominated by men. Both in schools and colleges as well as the leadership of our unions. This may not seem important but when we are considering the role of workers and the people who create the society we live in, don't we all deserve to shape our world?

This pandemic has highlighted even more how much women are expected to carry as we are told we can 'have it all' but it has also shown that women are essential members of the workforce, why else has education been prioritised in many countries as the last to close and the first to reopen? the economy is strengthen by women being at and in work.  Yet our voices continue to be missed and minimised. It is here where our unions need to ensure women are in the room, speaking up -  not sitting in the corner serving the tea.

Our workplaces need to reflect the needs of women, which is why ILO C.190 is a crucial part of any movement to explode a space for women's representation. Women need to be safe in their workplaces and our needs must be explicitly included in all policy, protocol and strategy put into place. 

And as we talk about 'Building Back Better' women must be able to articulate our needs and crucially, men need to listen and act on it, with us. 

Often when women take up positions of leadership, we see compassion and inclusion become part of the fabric of an organisation.

Our unions must be instrumental in amplifying the voices and presence of women within our own structures and in our activism on behalf of all members.  If we aren't bringing women along with us, then the trade union movement must ask it's self why? but also what is the political, social and economic cost because not fulfilling potential affects us all.

It always starts with the question - "Where are the women?"




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