Gender Centre intensifies education on Labour Law

The 1992 Constitution and Ghana’s labour laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, sex, ethnic origin, creed, colour, religion, social or economic status.

Sections of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651), among other things, ensure the protection of working women and workers with disabilities, with Section 68 specifying that “every worker shall receive equal pay for equal work without distinction of any kind.”

The country’s laws also provide for 12 weeks of maternity leave, in addition to a person’s annual leave.
 
The maternity leave can be extended by two additional weeks in case of caesarean delivery/abnormal birth or twin (or more) births. Extended leave is also granted in case of illness due to pregnancy or confinement, certified by a medical practitioner.

Speaking at a two-day regional education conference on the Labour Law and women’s rights at workplaces, in Koforidua, the Executive Director of the Gender Centre for Empowering Development (GENCED), Ms Esther Tawiah, said despite the provisions in the constitution and the Labour Act, discrimination, inequality and other forms of injustices against women, particularly, at workplaces, still persisted.

Intensive education

Ms Tawiah said for that reason, GENCED had decided to intensify education on the Labour Law and the rights of women at the workplaces to address the issues, focusing on six thematic areas under its education campaign which would be targeted at the regional levels.

The areas, she said were Labour Law on pregnancy, maternity leave, breastfeeding and nursing mothers, dismissals and transfer of pregnant women, sexual harassment and overtime among others.

The two-day conference, held in Koforidua in the Eastern Region, brought together participants from heads of public and private educational and health institutions, as well as heads of security services in the region.

 1992 Constitution

Ms Tawiah said the 1992 Constitution spelt out the fundamental human rights and freedom of all citizens and specifically outlines rights, equality and freedom.

 She was, therefore, hopeful that with adequate education, more of the problems facing women would be no more.
“We teach women to better understand the labour laws and their rights at workplaces and, therefore, place much emphasis on gender-based violence also at workplaces.

 How do women who are victims of sexual harassment complain or report their cases within the office space? Do women have systems or mechanisms in place that addresses those issues when they happen?” she asked.

 Violation of rights

Ms Tawiah said it was worrying that some private institutions asked women to sign a bond not to get pregnant when they were employed.

The acting Eastern Regional Director of the Department of Gender, Miss Juliana Abbeyquaye, educated the participants on some sections of the Labour Law, saying the law, among other things, guaranteed workers’ rights to work under satisfactory, safe and healthy conditions.

She said provisions in the law relating to women needed to be realised amidst barriers of gender inequality and that must be addressed to solidify the gains of the law.