As the 69th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69/Beijing+30) approaches next week, global trade unions are intensifying their call for a gender-transformative new social contract. They stress the urgent need for decisive action to safeguard gender equality and workers’ rights worldwide.

Against the backdrop of multiple intersecting crises—including economic inequality, climate change, and rapid technological disruptions—global unions argue that current economic systems reinforce discrimination, exploitation, and inequality, disproportionately impacting women in the workforce. They emphasize that freedom of association and collective bargaining are fundamental to fostering workplace democracy, ensuring fair wages, and promoting female leadership. Additionally, they advocate for progressive taxation and human rights-focused policies to increase funding for public services and infrastructure that support gender equality.

Key Demands for the Beijing+30 Declaration

Global unions have outlined five core priorities for the Beijing+30 Declaration:

1. Gender Equality for Social Justice, Democracy, and Peace
   With democracy increasingly threatened by authoritarianism, and gender-based violence and xenophobia on the rise, the declaration must commit to protecting fundamental rights. These include freedom of association, collective bargaining, equal pay, and greater representation of women in leadership. Special attention must be given to women in conflict zones, ensuring their participation in peace negotiations.
2. Women’s Labour Rights as Human Rights
   Governments must uphold the fundamental principles of the International Labour Organization (ILO), including the elimination of forced labour, ensuring safe working conditions, and eradicating gender-based discrimination in employment. Universal social protection systems, paid parental leave, and policies recognizing unpaid care work are essential to achieving economic justice for women.
3. Decent Work for Women
   To close gender gaps in the workforce, governments must invest in creating 575 million new decent jobs by 2030, with a particular focus on the care sector. A gender-responsive employment framework should include fair wages, formalization of informal work, and stronger workplace protections. Additionally, the digital transition must be regulated to prevent automation from disproportionately disadvantaging women.
4. Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value
   The gender pay gap remains a significant driver of the feminization of poverty. Unions call for systemic reforms, including the enforcement of pay equity laws, pay transparency policies, and initiatives to increase women’s participation in male-dominated sectors such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
5. A Workplace Free from Gender-Based Violence and Harassment
   The ratification and implementation of ILO Convention 190, which addresses violence and harassment in the world of work, is a critical priority. Strong workplace policies must be in place to support survivors of domestic violence and hold perpetrators accountable. Unions also stress the need for investment in prevention programs, legal protections, and anti-violence public services.

Call for Action at CSW69

“With increasing challenges to gender equality, we insist that the Beijing+30 Declaration must deliver tangible commitments that address structural barriers and uphold women’s labour rights. By adopting a gender-transformative agenda, governments have an opportunity to create a more just, inclusive, and sustainable world of work. The upcoming CSW69 session presents a crucial moment to take decisive action towards lasting social and economic change,” said IndustriALL Assistant General Secretary Christine Olivier.

In line with these efforts, IndustriALL is hosting a side event during UNCSW focusing on remedying human rights violations faced by women workers in the textile and garment sectors through binding agreements. For decades, voluntary regulations in global supply chains have failed to protect workers. IndustriALL advocates for negotiated agreements between multinational corporations and trade unions as a robust alternative to ensure accountability, protect workers’ rights, and implement gender-responsive solutions.

As CSW69 convenes, global unions remain resolute in their call for governments to take bold steps in securing a gender-equitable and rights-based world of work.

SOURCE: INDUSTRIALL GLOBAL UNION