Project gains in human rights

  • Gender equality and women’s empowerment
    Improved women’s access to entitlements under government and union agreements,
    strong participation and leadership by women within the union,
    a reported reduction in domestic violence from 25-15%
    increasing education of girls in Dalit and Tribal families.
    Reduction in discrimination against tribal people
    Union membership has reduced discrimination and engendered respect from dominant castes.
    Reduction in forced or bonded labour
    The project work has significantly reduced bonded and forced labour.
    Reduction in child labour
    Child labour is being reduced mainly because collective power has prevented dominant castes from forcing their children into their homes to provide unpaid domestic labour,
    Right to organise and bargain collectively
    This right is being exercised through union membership and the collective bargaining which is occurring.
    Equal pay
    The project is committed to equal pay and the negotiated pay agreements reflect this.
    The right to life and security of person
    Union membership has given them protection against both violence from “dominant castes” and harassment and violence from the police.
    The right to work
    Union cooperatives have been established to create and maintain viable employment in the production of products and services where union members have skills.
    The right to education
    Improvements in pay and work conditions have enabled a greater number of Dalit and Tribal families to send their children to school.

    The UnionAID Tamil Nadu project is, for the first time, giving some meaning to fundamental human rights for Dalit and tribal workers. The indicators of this are:

    Gender equality and women’s empowerment

    Improved women’s access to entitlements under government and union agreements,

    strong participation and leadership by women within the union,

    a reported reduction in domestic violence from 25-15%

    increasing education of girls in Dalit and Tribal families.

    Reduction in discrimination against tribal people

    Union membership has reduced discrimination and engendered respect from dominant castes.

    Reduction in forced or bonded labour

    The project work has significantly reduced bonded and forced labour.

    Reduction in child labour

    Child labour is being reduced mainly because collective power has prevented dominant castes from forcing their children into their homes to provide unpaid domestic labour,

    Right to organise and bargain collectively

    This right is being exercised through union membership and the collective bargaining which is occurring.

    Equal pay

    The project is committed to equal pay and the negotiated pay agreements reflect this.

    The right to life and security of person

    Union membership has given them protection against both violence from “dominant castes” and harassment and violence from the police.

    The right to work

    Union cooperatives have been established to create and maintain viable employment in the production of products and services where union members have skills.

    The right to education

    Improvements in pay and work conditions have enabled a greater number of Dalit and Tribal families to send their children to school.

    TNLU Youth Group Band

    TNLU Youth Group Band


    March 25th, 2010 | UnionAID | Comments Off |

About The Author

Stephen Day

Unions Aotearoa International Development Trust (UnionAID) is a charitable trust established by the NZ Council of Trade Unions – Te Kauae Kaimahi to express its solidarity with partners in developing countries struggling to protect and promote the rights of workers and their families

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