In order to empower women throughout the oPt the ILO has been active on several fronts. In collaboration with five other UN agencies, from 2009 to early 2013 the ILO has operated on a programme entitled “Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the oPt.” The project oversaw the formation of a National Committee For Women’s Employment which promotes social justice through advancing gender equality in the oPt by ensuring that legislation, policies, programmes and actions adequately respond to the different needs of women and men. The project also produced a seminal study on gender-based violence in the workplace which acts as a basis for ongoing action by the ILO to combat the phenomena.

At present, the ILO project “Towards Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the oPt” aims to address these challenges through a participatory approach that focuses on promoting equality and empowering women to organise and enter the workplace. The project also intends to explore paid and unpaid care work to better understand and improve the terms and conditions of care workers. In addition, the project will work to strengthen women’s cooperatives as a way to promote economic opportunities and empower women. See more...