Decisions for Life meeting in Tbilisi, Georgia

On 14-15 May 2013, 23 trade union women activists from GTUC met to share organising experiences and ideas and come up with campaign actions to help young working women and promote their rights at work. The women’s group represented both gender officers on confederal level, regional and different sectors.

The activity was supported by the ITUC and PERC and organized by the GTUC with the special contribution and coordination from Eteri Matureli, Vice President of the GTUC, president women’s committee in GTUC and member of the PERC Women’s Committee.

The meeting consisted of round table discussion and working groups having an interactive character and giving the possible to all participants to actively take part in the discussion. The main issues discussed focused on : position of young women in society, local community, working place; women and the law; challenges , needs and expectations of young women at the workplace and in social life; women’s position in trade unions, participation in collective bargaining and negotiation teams, social dialogue with the employers and government.

Special attention has been given to action as concerns the changes in the labour code concerning gender issues.

The working groups formulated the work plan of the GTUC for the Decision for Life project, have specified the objectives and activities to achieve desired results.

The young women in GTUC together with the GTUC women’s committee and youth committee will work on the ratification by Georgia of the ILO Convention 183 on maternity protection and will develop actions on young women’s labour rights. Special attention will be given to organizing activities and reaching as many as possible young women and men thought the DFL activities.