Project concludes highlighting progress in promoting care policies for gender equality, workers' rights in Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO), in partnership with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held the closing workshop for its project “Promoting Workers’ Rights and Gender Equality at Work in Africa” on May 31, 2024. This project, which focused on enhancing workers’ rights and gender equality within Ethiopia’s garment sector, celebrated its achievements and discussed future sustainability and upscaling opportunities.

The workshop brought together 31 participants, including tripartite constituents with representatives from the Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, Ministry of Labour and Skills, the Confederation of Ethiopian Employers Association, the Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions and the Ethiopian Leather, Garment, and Textile Workers Trade Unions. Additionally, project beneficiaries, civil society organizations and UN bodies attended. This diverse group convened to review the project's successes and lessons learned, aiming to ensure continued progress in promoting gender equality and workers' rights in Ethiopia.

Albert William Okal, ILO Technical Skills Specialist, opened the workshop by acknowledging the collective efforts and commitment of all project stakeholders. He highlighted the project’s alignment with the Decent Work Agenda, emphasizing the importance of decent work in the care economy for both paid and unpaid carers. Okal noted that ensuring maternity protection, equal opportunities, and treatment for workers with family responsibilities were crucial steps toward achieving the Decent Work Agenda, and the project’s achievements significantly contributed to this agenda.

Spanning from January 2023 to June 2024, the project made significant strides in promoting gender equality at work in Ethiopia. It addressed the needs of workers and employers in the garment sector through a comprehensive care needs assessment, with its findings building a strong business case for care-responsive workplaces. Key project achievements included the establishment of daycare centers at Ethio Impact and Yirgalem Addis garment factories, providing childcare services to at least 15 children under the age of six in each of the factories. The project also provided trainings on Care@Work topics, including maternity protection and sexual and reproductive health rights, in five factories, and developed a manual to support future factories in delivering the trainings.

The workshop featured a panel discussion with project beneficiaries, highlighting the challenges faced by working mothers in the garment sector and the benefits of workplace daycare facilities. Mr. Kefyalew, CEO of Yirgalem Addis Garment Factory, shared a story about a highly skilled worker who was forced to resign due to childcare responsibilities, emphasizing the operational challenges and costs this imposed on his factory. Mr. Tsegaye, a leader of the workers union at Hagere Tibeb Garment Factory, underscored the importance of the “Care at Work” and Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) trainings for their staff, noting that the Care at Work training was particularly valuable in identifying both strengths and gaps in their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). This training highlighted the significance and benefits of workplace daycare and led to the union’s consideration in updating their CBA to better support workers with family responsibilities. Lastly, Mr. Solomon, Safety Officer from Eltex Textile and Garment Factory, expressed his gratitude for the project's support, which provided materials for one of their daycare centers and involved Eltex staff in a three-day training on daycare management and supervision. These efforts yielded positive results for both workers and employers in their factory. Overall, the discussion reinforced the need for continued support and expansion of such initiatives.

Another key segment of the workshop featured a panel with Dr. Zerihun Kebede, Advisor to the Minister of Women and Social Affairs, Ms. Sosina Abraham, Board Member of the Confederation of Ethiopian Employers Association and Mr. Tesfaye Abdissa, representative from the Textile and Garment Workers Union. Dr. Zerihun praised the establishment of workplace daycare centers for enhancing job security and economic growth by enabling women to return to work after their maternity period. Ms. Sosina emphasized the importance of the project’s gender-responsive trainings for the labour inspectorate to enhance the capacity of government officials to effect change. Mr. Tesfaye celebrated the project's achievements in a short period, noting the tangible benefits for both employers and workers.

The workshop concluded with closing remarks from Mr. Elnor Gasanov, Deputy Head of Mission at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Addis Ababa. He expressed pride in the project's accomplishments and the potential for future collaboration. Certificates of appreciation were awarded to participants for their contributions, marking a successful end to the project which aimed to improving working conditions and gender equality in Ethiopia’s garment sector.