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20 May, 2020IndustriALL South East Asia office and Cambodian affiliates have joined forces in an online campaign, creating awareness on ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment and Convention 183 on maternity protection.
Since ILO C190 was adopted in June last year, IndustriALL’s office in South East Asia has prepared leaflets and posters in various languages for affiliates in the region.
IndustriALL regional secretary Annie Adviento says:
“The pandemic has significantly restricted the movement of trade unionists and our ability to create awareness on the convention has also been restrained. So we have to find creative ways to continue the campaign on ratification of C190 and C183.
“People reduce outdoor activities and communication is concentrated on online platforms. So sharing the message on social media is very effective.”
Even though the Cambodian government has expressed its commitment to women’s rights by ratifying United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination of All Women (CEDAW), the current maternity protection falls short of international standards. Currently, women workers are entitled to 90 days maternity leave with half wages.
Annie Adviento says that ratifying C183 to realize 14 weeks maternity leave is crucial:
“Women workers must receive full wages during maternity leave. C183 clearly states that the maternity benefit shall ensure women and their children to remain healthy and enjoy adequate standard of living; the current 50 per cent of the national minimum wage, US$190 per month, is not enough for mothers and babies.”