29 January, 2014On 18 January 2014 UMT Morocco held a women’s school in Casablanca entitled Violence against Women in the Workplace – A serious Violation of Working Women’s Rights. Women from civil society associations also participated in the event to strengthen the links between the union and the Democratic Association of Moroccan Women.
There was a discussion of the various legal, economic, political, social and psychological effects of violence on working women, particularly violence at work as a way of excluding women and violating their rights. There was also a critical reading of the draft law to combat violence against women and for a strategy to fight all forms of violence against women. The participants made recommendations on the legislation to make it more effective.
The participants, both men and women, made the following recommendations:
- Establish a women’s network, including women from the union and associations, in order to create a real force to work on issues such as social responsibility
- Call for a meaningful discussion of women’s issues, first and foremost on gender-based violence
- Call upon working women to break their silence and disclose their concerns and the daily injustices they are subjected to at work in particular and in society in general
- Take measures to ensure that women are no longer subjected to exploitation, violence, sexual harassment and victimization
- Make it an obligation to implement the Labor Code and legislation that prohibits discriminating against women and protects working women
- Activate the role of health and safety committees to protect working women
- Set up centers for hearing and legal guidance at workplaces and trade unions
- Revise and continuously reform the Personal Status Code to make it compatible with the Constitution and with ratified international conventions
- Adopt public policies with measures, mechanisms and budgets that guarantee the protection of women’s rights and their political, social and economic gains
- Adopt fair labour policies as well as legal mechanisms to stop the exploitation of women workers for low pay
- Work on educating women about their rights and how to defend them
- Call upon the media to become effectively involved in combating violence against women and spreading the culture of equality and human rights to overcome stereotypes and the inferior attitudes that the media propagate against women.