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By Bimbola Oyesola
Industriall Global has called on trade unions in Nigeria to tackle the underlying factors contributing to the continued struggle to close the gender pay gap.
Speaking during an event, to celebrate the International Women’s Day (IWD), organised by the National Women Committee of the Industriall Global, Nigeria Council in Lagos, John Adaji, co-chairman of the union Sub-Saharan Africa Region and President National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, said the occasion of this year’s IWD drawn attention to the gender pay gap and gender inequality in general.
Reflecting on this year’s theme, “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow,” Adaji said the gender pay gap in some sectors reduces women’s capacity to secure an independent and decent income.
“Factors contributing to the gender pay gap have been identified. They include: job segregation; discrimination, gender stereotypes and social norms that limit women’s access to labour markets and quality jobs; the undervaluation of women’s work, gender-based violence and harassment in the world of work; and uneven distribution of care responsibilities and unpaid work. To achieve a just transition for workers in our respective sectors, we must strive to achieve gender equality,” he said.
He said the global union challenges its affiliates in Nigeria on the need to step up action for the adoption and implementation of policies, at all levels of the union and society that guarantee equal opportunities for employment for all workers, men and women as well as for equal treatment and equal pay.
“In our industries, there are still many obstacles in the way of gender equality and women’s access to better jobs. Job segregation and persistent myths about women’s capacities are used to restrict women to the lowest paid and most precarious work.
