Maternity Protection Campaign (part 2): Action steps;

Steps for campaigning

Charles Sagoe Moses- GhanaFunny Kondolo- ZambiaJoyce Chanetsa- Zimbabwe

Main focus of a campaign

Ratification of ILO Maternity Protection Convention C 183

Improvement of existing laws on maternity protection (MP)

Information dissemination on MP issues to general public and other stakeholders

Formal ratification procedure ILO Maternity Protection Convention

2000 (C 183) was adopted in June 2000 C183 came into force in February 2002

one year after second ratification ILO submitted instrument to member

states Government submits instrument to

tripartite for consultation Submission to competent national

authorities (ie parliament; legislative assembly or congress)

Ratification procedure cont.d Government also recommends one of the following

courses of action:

1. Ratification of C183, because current laws already in compliance

2. Enactment of legislation to give effect to provisions of C 1833. Postponement of ratification to allow for further

consultations4. No ratification

Reporting back to ILO by December 2001 on recommended course of action

Member state ratifies C 183

Supervisory machinery of ILO comes into force 12 months later

Must implement all provisions of C 183

Reporting at regular intervals

NB. Where national law and practice go beyond provisions of C183, no watering down is permitted

Member state takes no action

Reminders are sent by the ILO at 12 and 18 months after the end of the ILO Conference

NGOs/peoples action on governments to work towards ratification

Member state chooses not to ratify

ILO requests report obstacles to ratification

Country example-Submission to the competent national authorities in Ghana

1. ILO C 183 is adopted in June 20002. Officer at MOL prepares a memo for a consultative tripartite/civil

society meeting 3. Tripartite meeting is held4. Officer at MOL reports to Minister of Labour, Minister reports to

Cabinet5. Ministry of Justice conducts a legal review to prepare issues for

parliament6. Select parliamentary committee on labour issues discusses the ILO

instrument and prepares a preliminary report7. Parliament debates, approves and votes on preliminary report8. Legal and internal desk at MOL reviews legal aspects9. Attorney General finalises legal document10. Sector Ministry (Labour) finalises report according to guidelines, this

includes feasibility of ratification11. Report is submitted to ILO

Practical steps at national level – Interest group

1. Advocacy 2. Identify the key stakeholders i.e..

MOL, MOH, TUs, Women's groups, Employers, media etc through participatory stakeholder analysis

3. Form a working group4. Conduct a rapid assessment

(Zambia example)

Practical steps at national level – Interest group cont.d

5. Disseminate the findings of RA to all stakeholders at all levels (choosing your path/s)

6.Develop a plan of action (country example)

7. Ensure that MOL takes the lead of the process

8. MPC focal person to follow up progress with MOL

9. Implement the plan of action10. Monitor and evaluate

Rapid assessment- what to ask Find out current national law and practice,

identify the gaps To whom do the laws apply (scope) Duration and adequacy of maternity

leave/other leaves Are breastfeeding breaks/reduction of working

hours in place? If not, why not? Facilities for breastfeeding at the workplace Who finances and how? How can maternity protection be integrated

into other on-going programmes? SWOT on own group

Rapid assessment- whom to contact Ministries of Labour, Trade, Health, Social

security, Occupational health, Public health, Education,Women’s and Children’s Affairs

Trade unions Interministerial bodies University research departments Employers associations National ILO offices National WHO/UNICEF offices Women’s groups/other NGOs Workplaces (formal/informal sectors)

IBFAN Africa Working Group on Maternity Protection

IBFAN Africa working group on maternity protection established in September 2000 (sub-regional representation)

Group composition Zambia – focal point Zimbabwe- Southern Africa Uganda- East Africa Nigeria- West Africa Sao Tome-Lusophone Africa IMCH-technical support

Terms of reference Technical resource for capacity-building on MP for the region Technical resource for the respective sub-regions Submission of quarterly reports

IBFAN Africa Working Group on Maternity Protection cont.d

Regional Plan of Action is drawn up:

Sensitisation and training workshops for 17 countries Rapid national assessments carried out in first 11

countries Draft national plans of action developed in first 11

countries (Zimbabwe example) National plans of action implemented in several

countries (2001-2002) supported through eg WABA ILO seedgrants, IBFAN

Africa etc Resource mobilisation

Linking up with other regional bodies eg SADC, ECOWAS, AU, and TUCs