NLC Urged To Enforce Gender Policy Across State Councils

The Chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) National Women Commission, Comrade Salamatou Aliu, has urged NLC State Councils to implement constitutional provisions that ensure women leaders participate in decision-making bodies across all levels of the organisation.

Aliu made the call on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, during her welcome address at the 6th NLC Gender Conference and the election of the National Women’s Commission leadership. Represented by the Deputy Chairperson of the commission, Mrs Deborah Yusuf, Aliu emphasised the importance of promoting women’s leadership within trade unions.

“I am grateful to the Congress for this clear demonstration of the commitment to promoting the active participation of women in the trade unions, especially in leadership positions,” she said.

Aliu praised women workers for their resilience and contributions to both their professions and communities, describing them as “multi-tasking, hard-working and efficient in both domestic and work environments”.

Despite these contributions, Aliu expressed concern over the persistent marginalisation of women in Nigeria and globally.

“Women in Nigeria and indeed around the world are still being subjected to discrimination, abuse, and harassment in their places of work and society,” she said.

She reaffirmed the Congress’s dedication to gender equality and noted that the NLC is currently reviewing its gender policy, originally adopted in 2003. She highlighted that the ongoing conference offers women in trade unions the opportunity to influence the new policy direction.

“The theme of the conference, ‘Accelerate Action for Achieving Gender Equality: Imperative for a New NLC Gender Policy’, is a strategic response in addressing the issue of male dominance in the trade union movement,” she said.

Aliu attributed gender inequality to harmful cultural and religious practices, pointing out that women often face restricted access to land, inheritance, education, employment, and political participation.

“Although some level of progress has been made, gender discrimination persists in many forms today,” she said, citing workplace inequality, legal barriers, poverty, and gender-based violence as issues that disproportionately affect women.

She traced the development of women’s representation in the NLC, starting with the “Women Wings” of the 1980s, which evolved into State Women Committees in the 1990s. The formal inauguration of the National Women’s Commission came during the first NLC National Gender Conference in 2003, alongside the adoption of the NLC Gender Equity Policy.

However, she expressed concern that some State Councils still fail to implement constitutional provisions that mandate leadership roles for Women Committee officers.

“The NLC Constitution provides for the Chairperson and the Secretary to be both members of SAC and SEC at the NLC State Councils and that the Chairperson is an automatic Vice Chairperson of the NLC State Council,” she said.

Aliu urged non-compliant State Councils to “immediately respect and uphold the NLC Constitution and the commitment of Congress to gender justice.”

Also speaking at the conference, International Labour Organisation (ILO) Country Director Vanessa Phala called on the NLC to move beyond policy revision and fully implement its gender policy to bridge the gap between legal rights and the lived experiences of female workers.

“Non-discrimination and promoting equality are fundamental principles underpinning the work of the ILO,” Phala stated.

She pointed out that despite international conventions supporting gender equality, many women workers remain unaware of or unable to exercise these rights. She also noted that the low representation of women in union leadership continues to weaken the collective voice for gender equality.

“The percentage of women in the decision-making positions in trade unions is so small that they have not been able to influence policies,” she said.

Phala commended the NLC for revising its gender policy but emphasised the need for effective implementation.

She encouraged newly elected women leaders to focus on organising more female workers, especially in the informal sector, to ensure inclusivity.

“Increasing women’s participation in decision-making and improving their working conditions is key to achieving equality in the workplace and society,” she said.

She concluded with a message of empowerment: “Behind every successful society is a woman who dared to dream, and there is a platform and enabling environment for that woman to achieve her dreams.”

NLC Urged To Enforce Gender Policy Across State Councils is first published on The Whistler Newspaper