2014 CPSA Women’s Forum “Strategising for the future. Empowering women activists. Building union power and influence” July 19 and 21, 2014 Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort, Casino and Spa Phillipsburg, Sint Maarten CPSA Conference Theme
“Enhancing our skills & knowledge for greater achievements”
About the forum The Women’s Forum precedes the Annual Conference of the CPSA. The forum is designed to build the knowledge, skills and attitudes of women who are members of public service sector unions in the Caribbean. The intention is to provide opportunities for these women activists to critically examine the issues facing them as public service sector workers so that they may add their perspectives as women into the decisions and actions of their respective unions. The forum also provides an excellent opportunity for women working together to share information, develop contacts and plan their own actions, activities and campaigns. Specifically, the forum is designed to: • create ‘a space’ for women public service sector workers; • provide an opportunity for women public sector workers from across the Caribbean to meet and exchange views and experiences on the key issues facing their countries and their unions and how these issues affect them; • provide an opportunity for women public service sector workers to discuss, debate and make recommendations to the CPSA Secretariat. As we deal with the various struggles in our own countries, we recognise more than ever that what we think are workplace or national struggles are in fact Caribbean-wide and global struggles. Some workers are fighting for basic rights, some are even being jailed or are killed in the process. Others are losing rights which their fore-parents had fought for years ago. No longer can we be blind to the battles of others. Winning our own battles, while others lose theirs is just not on. Solidarity now takes on a greater meaning. The Women’s Forum examines women’s issues as well as women’s perspectives on all issues. Through small group discussions, panels and plenary discussions, women trade unionists will:
celebrate their achievements share lessons learnt meet new colleagues and build networks identify problems and challenges make recommendations and develop plans
The 2014 Women’s Forum 2015 marks the end of the period for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the start of a programme of work on a Post-2015 Development Agenda, titled the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Also in 2015, the world marks Beijing +20 and will review the achievements under the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Caribbean states have made progress in the MDGs and in the quest for gender equality. So too have all our unions. But there is still much more to be done.
1
Draft programme - 2014 CPSA Women’s Forum
Trade union organisations through their Global Union Federations (GUFs) have added their voices to these discussions on behalf of working people worldwide. The GUFs have been active in discussions, consultations and planning for the SDGs and are also preparing for the Beijing+20 conference at the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York in March 2015.
Critical areas of concern under the Beijing Platform: • • • • • • • • • • • •
Women and the environment Women in power and decision-making The girl child Women and the economy Women and poverty Violence against women Human rights of women Education and training of women Institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women Women and health Women and the media Women and armed conflict
In preparation for the Beijing +20 review, states were requested to “undertake comprehensive national-level reviews of the progress made and challenges encountered in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly. ….National reviews should cover trends, achievements and remaining gaps and challenges, as well as future plans to accelerate implementation at the national level.” The deadline was May 1, 2014. The national reviews will contribute to the global review and appraisal that UN Women will prepare and submit to the 59th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59). See http://www.eclac.cl/cgibin/getprod.asp?xml=/mujer/noticias/paginas/3/51823/P51823.xml&xsl=/mujer/tpl/p18f.xsl&base=/m ujer/tpl/top-bottom.xsl for the list of Caribbean states that have already submitted reports. Your discussions during this 2-day forum will add to a Caribbean trade union perspective on the Beijing +20 review.
Strategising for the future. Empowering women activists. Building union power and influence. Drawing from the CPSA Conference theme, the theme for the women’s forum focusses on current issues facing unions (internally and externally), linking these to regional and global issues and the everyday lives of our members and their families. Participants will particularly examine these issues using a gender lens. Successfully dealing with the challenges facing us requires a careful and thorough analysis of who we are, what we do, who we’re targeting, and what they want or need. We also need to be more analytical, more focussed and very clear in our vision for our organisations , the members and the communities we serve and in which we live and work. And we constantly need to acquire new knowledge, and develop new skills in order to have credibility and to influence decision-making at all levels.
2
Draft programme - 2014 CPSA Women’s Forum
Draft programme Saturday July 19
References
Day’s session co-chaired by Sisters Susan Hodge (ACSA) and Violet Brown (MCSA)
9:30 am Welcome Sis Derie Leonard (WICSU-PSU) Introductions Sis Violet Brown (MCSA) 10:05 am Celebrating the achievements … Strategising for the future Short (10 minute) presentations from women activists, highlighting the successes and challenges in their unions and identifying the skills and knowledge that their unions need
Forum Information Booklet Affiliates’ reports to the Forum
Anguilla CSA, Dominica PSU, GLGWU (Guyana) and Guyana PSU 10:35 am B R E A K 10:55 am Celebrating the achievements … Strategising for the future (cont’d)
Affiliates’ reports to the Forum
11:45 am Gender mainstreaming – still very much on the agenda
Forum Information Booklet
Sis Susan Hodge (ACSA) 1:00 pm LUNCH 2:20 pm Building union power and influence - Combatting child labour and human trafficking in Guyana Sis Karen Vansluytman-Corbin (Chair of the Women’s Advisory Council of the Guyana Trades Union Congress; GPSU) 3:25 pm Celebrating the achievements … Strategising for the future Short (10 minute) presentations from women activists, highlighting the successes and challenges in their unions and identifying the skills and knowledge that their unions need
Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Forum Information Booklet Affiliates’ reports to the Forum
PSU of Belize, Bermuda PSU, PWU Grenada, SLCSA Wrap-up and conclusions 4:00 pm
3
END OF DAY ONE
Draft programme - 2014 CPSA Women’s Forum
Monday July 21 Day’s session co-chaired by Sisters C Joyann Inniss (NUPW Barbados) and Zeneth Rolle (Bahamas PSU) 9:30 am Round-table discussion - The future of our unions, what women want from their unions and the role of trade union women’s groups and women trade union activists
References
Forum Information Booklet
Moderator: C Joyann Inniss (NUPW Barbados) Discussion starters: Sis Nadine Brown-Evans (Bermuda PSU); Sis Ronda Floris (Guyana PSU); Sis Onydeen Lawrence (JCSA); WICSU-PSU (name tbc) 10:35 am B R E A K 10:55 am Celebrating the achievements … Strategising for the future Short (10 minute) presentations from women activists, highlighting the successes and challenges in their unions and identifying the skills and knowledge that their unions need
Affiliates’ reports to the Forum
Bahamas PSU, JCSA, SLCSA 12:05 pm Trade union women and the regional trade union movement: Promoting women’s empowerment
Forum Information Booklet
Sis Zeneth Rolle (Bahamas PSU) 12:35 pm Making the linkages - essential in building union power and influence Sis Jillian Joy Bartlett (NUGFW TT) 1:00 pm LUNCH 2:20 pm Empowering women, taking action … Small group activities to plan the next steps
Forum Information Booklet
Sis Jillian Joy Bartlett (NUGFW TT) 3:25 pm Report backs from small group activities 5 minute reports from each affiliate
Forum Information Booklet and Reports fro small groups
4:00 pm Thoughts about the 2015 Women’s Forum 4:15 pm
END OF FORUM
Forum Information Booklet - circulated separately (electronic format) The Report of the 2014 Women’s Forum to the CPSA Conference will be co-ordinated by Sisters Zeneth Rolle (Bahamas PSU), Violet Brown (MCSA), Susan Hodge (ACSA) and Hillary Holder (NUGFW TT).
4
Draft programme - 2014 CPSA Women’s Forum