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IYCW Statement on the International Women’s Day – March 8

On such an important day for women and society, the young women workers of the IYCW want to make a statement in order to share part of their reality and to announce the campaigns they are carrying out for young women workers around the world. They want to speak of the actions they are taking in all continents to promote equality and participation of all young women workers so that they can live with dignity and justice.

The situation of young women workers

“I will begin by saying that in my country, Bolivia, female domestic workers are among the lowest wages of the working class” says Fatima, a 26 year old domestic worker and mother of two children.

A young woman from Zimbabwe reports: - “My uncle used to beat me with electricity wires. Before I went to live with my uncle and auntie, I stayed with my big sister’s mother, and my brother used to take me into the bush. Then he raped me. I was eight or nine. I was scared. He said 'I’m going to beat you if you ever tell anyone.’”

Maria Mutungi is from Ghana. Her husband died, her in-laws took all her possessions—including farm equipment, livestock, household goods, and clothing. They insisted that she be “cleansed” by having sex with a social outcast as a condition of staying in her home. They paid a herdsman the equivalent of U.S. $6 to have sex with Maria, against her will and without a condom. She said, “I tried to refuse, but my in-laws said I must be cleansed or they’d beat me and chase me out of my home.” The in-laws eventually forced her out of her home anyway. She and her children were homeless until someone offered her a small, leaky shack. No longer able to afford school fees, her children had to drop out of school.

On August 25th, the International Young Christian Workers (IYCW) movement will march with the voice of young workers to remind the world of a movement with 50 years of international action experience and continued demands for the realisation of the dreams of young workers.

“This day marks the start of another new beginning for the IYCW, with a demand for work that respects the immeasurable worth of each and every young worker – more valuable than 'all the gold in the world' ” says Bridget Rauch, international coordinator of the IYCW.

Representing the International Movement, (whose international secretariat is located in Bruxelles, Belgium), young workers will gather in Manila, Philippines during an international exchange program to mark the official birthday of the International YCW movement.

The celebrations in the Philippines, also mark the international launch of the preparation towards the world council of the IYCW to be held in Tamil Nadu, India, in September 2008.

Joint Statement by Social Alert and IYCW

Committee on the Fishing Sector

For a number of years now, Social Alert and the International Young Christian Workers have been jointly campaigning for the cause of informal economy workers, in particular for their access to social protection. The provision of a set of rights to fishermen through the standard-setting work of this Committee is certainly welcomed by us. But this must be done in such a way that the rights granted are clear both in content and in form; and the rights must be granted to all workers, including informal workers, in the fishing sector. Therefore, we would like to make the following suggestions to the members of the Committee.