More than 80 representatives of different professions from different industries and regions of the country met at the site of the Republican round table: “Women in the world of labor”, organized by the Federation of Trade Unions in conjunction with the Trade Union Center of the Karaganda region, where they discussed issues of gender equality, increasing the level of women’s leadership and professionalism and safe work .
The event, timed to coincide with the celebration of International Women’s Day – March 8, was attended by members of the Commission on Working Women’s Affairs of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, representatives of the Republican Council of Women, the National Commission on Women’s Affairs and Family and Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as members of primary trade union organizations of the FPRK.
The focus is on the working woman, her labor rights and issues of improving the position and opportunities of women.
As Gulnara Zhumageldieva, Deputy Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Chairman of the Republican Commission on Working Women’s Affairs, noted at the opening of the meeting, the main goal of the Federation’s gender policy is to strengthen the position of working women, their rights and opportunities for career growth, professional training, as well as to maintain a reasonable balance between family and work,” emphasized Gulnara Zhumageldieva.
According to her, the representation of women in the leading trade union bodies is increasing, the influence of women in the international trade union movement is growing.
Today, out of about 2 million members of the FPRK, 65% are women. Out of more than 18,000 primary trade union organizations, 67% are headed by women.
The proportion of women in the Federation is 55%, of which 67% are headed by primary trade union organizations, 28% by sectoral trade unions, and 44% by territorial associations of trade unions. In leadership positions of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan, the proportion of women is 40%, in collegiate bodies: the General Council – 28.8%; Executive Committee – 45%.
With the direct participation of representatives of the Federation of Trade Unions, ILO Conventions No. 183 “On the protection of motherhood and childhood”, No. 156 “On equal treatment and equal opportunities for working men and women: workers with family responsibilities”, No. 26 “On the creation of a procedure for establishing a minimum wage” were ratified wages”, No. 95 “On the protection of wages”.
The Strategy of the Federation of Trade Unions for 2020-2025 “In unity towards justice and development”, adopted at the 26th Congress of the FPRK, set the task of conducting a balanced gender policy, active participation in the process of improving legislation and introducing international standards in this area.
In 2021, the General Council of the Federation of Trade Unions adopted the Concept of Gender Policy, which is a set of measures to form institutions for gender equality and implement legal mechanisms for protecting women’s rights.
As part of the social partnership, the issues of the wage gap between men and women, ensuring women’s rights and labor safety, supporting their professional growth, reducing the retirement age and implementing international standards of gender equality are being addressed.
Deputy Chairman of the National Commission for Women and Family and Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Elena Tarasenko, in her welcoming speech, noted the relevance of issues of self-realization and activity of working women, which, according to her, are created by common work.
According to her, purposeful work is being carried out in the country to prevent discrimination, expand women’s opportunities in the world of work, including increasing the representation of women at the decision-making level.
However, the unemployment rate for women today is higher than for men – 5.7% versus 4.1%.
Elena Tarasenko emphasized the need to develop specific solutions in support of women and proposed to strengthen interaction between the offices of the National Commission for Women’s Affairs and Family and Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Federation of Trade Unions at the regional level within the framework of the Memorandum signed by the parties in 2019.
Deputy Chairman of the Republican Women’s Council Svetlana Ferkho touched upon the topical issues of motherhood, childhood and youth, which the Council has been dealing with since its inception – since 1991.
Speaking about the problems of women, she focused on the specifics of women’s work, which consists of 3 aspects – participation in economic life, the birth of children and domestic work, which requires the development of balanced legislative approaches to the social and labor rights of women.
No less topical issue, according to her, is the study of occupational diseases of women.
With words of gratitude for the tireless work, the chairman of the Kazakhstan Industry Trade Union of Education, Science and Higher Education Workers Aigul Mukasheva addressed the participants.
Of the more than 600,000 members of the sectoral trade union, 72% are women.
According to Aigul Mukasheva, special attention is paid to the issues of supporting women in the industry – Industry, regional agreements, collective agreements contain special rules aimed at protecting the rights and protection of women’s labor. We are talking about the provision of preferential leave for mothers when a child enters or graduates from school, material support, annual provision of vouchers for sanatorium and resort rehabilitation to mothers with many children or single mothers, etc.
Chairman of the Board – Rector, Doctor of Biological Sciences NJSC “Karaganda Industrial University” Bolatbek Abdrasilov, in turn, noted the special contribution of women to the development of society and the state. He expressed his gratitude for the energy, creative work of Kazakhstani women, who help to overcome any difficulties and inspire great achievements.
The head of the labor inspection department of the Karaganda region, Irina Lyubarskaya, in her speech drew attention to some regularities in the participation of women in the labor sphere.
For example, according to her, there were no accidents at the enterprises of the region, headed by a woman, and in trade union organizations, where the trade union leader is a woman, collective agreements are more socially oriented.
Almakul Userova, chairperson of the Karaganda regional branch of the Kazakhstan Industry Trade Union of Workers of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Information, spoke about the work of the regional Commission for working women at the Trade Union Center of the Karaganda region.
She recalled that the regional commission is actively interacting with all parties to the social partnership. Issues of reducing the retirement age of women to 58 years and other issues of socio-economic support for women were raised.
Almakul Userova urged the participants to pay attention to the problems of single mothers, mothers raising children with special needs and to consider the possibility of providing these categories of women with a flexible work schedule.
In the Karaganda region, the Commission is significantly supported by the branch of the Legal Clinic, where women turn not only on labor issues, but also on family problems.
Svetlana Shardarbekova, head of the branch of the Legal Clinic, said that today the team of the Legal Clinic includes reputable lawyers, mediators, occupational pathologists, and psychologists who help women in obtaining maternity payments, collecting alimony, and even in matters of domestic violence.
At the site of the round table, the activists exchanged experience and discussed proposals for ensuring decent and safe working conditions for working women and increasing their role in the country’s socio-political life.
As a result of the meeting, a solemn ceremony of rewarding working women from In the nomination “Veteran – Labor – Woman”, the chairman of the primary trade union organization, the methodologist of the Abay regional cultural and leisure center, the chairman of the public Slavic ethno-cultural association “Rusalitsa” Lyubov Konstantinovna Streltsova, the fuel-supply driver of CHPP-1 LLP “KaragandaEnergoCentre” Malyuk Irina Mikhailovna were recognized as the best . Elvira Muratkyzy Sadakbayeva, the leading expert of the branch of the NAO State Corporation “Government for Citizens” in the Karaganda region, was awarded in the nomination “Mother of Many Children”.
In the nomination “Representative of the Labor Dynasty”, the mine surveyor of the Abaiskaya mine of the Coal Department of ArcelorMittal Temirtau JSC Kokosha Anna Vladimirovna was awarded.
In the nomination “Labor safety is in the hands of women”, the leading engineer-inspector of technical operation and safety measures of Teplotransit Karaganda LLP Azhigalieva Victoria Mikhailovna, head of the sector of labor protection and ecology of the branch of JSC “National Corporation “Kazakhstan Temir Zholy” – “Karaganda branch of the main network “Shakenova Asel Saltanatkyzy.
Chairman of the primary trade union organization, deputy director, KSU “Center for the provision of special social services No. 3 of Karaganda City Zhanna Kashkymbaevna Bodykova and the chairman of the shop committee, the electric bridge crane operator of the pile driver shop of the Steel Department of ArcelorMittal Temirtau JSC Bulatskaya Svetlana Antonovna were recognized as the best in the nomination” Trade Union Leader of Labor “.
In the nomination “Mentor of Youth”, the merits of a primary school teacher, KSU Secondary Educational School No. 20, village of Burkutty, Karkaralinsky district, Karaganda region, Kozhabekova Almagul Saulegulovna, were noted.
Irina Alexandrovna Korshek, head of the Cement Grinding No. 2 workshop of Central Asia Cement JSC, was awarded in the “Real Manager” nomination.
The merits of the head of the department for management and development of human resources of the State Institution “Health Department of the Karagadin Region” Mailygulova Meiramgul Madyarovna were noted in the nomination “Reliable social partner”.
The head of the Legal Clinic and the Center for Reconciliation at the Trade Union Center of the Karaganda Region Sveta Mukhamedievna Shardarbekova was recognized as the “Best Human Rights Defender – Mediator”.
In the nomination “Young hope of the team”, the specialist of the department for work with taxpayers of the State Revenue Administration for the Karkaraly district, Arin Zhanara Arinkyzy, was awarded.
Within the framework of the nomination “The trade union helps” the master of the repair and construction team of NJSC “Karaganda Industrial University” Mazhkenova Ayauzhan Aubakirovna was given a washing machine as a gift from the trade union.
Galina Prokhorets, the chief expert of the Karaganda branch of the KAZPROFTRANS Industry Trade Union, was awarded the medal of the FPRK “Kasipodak Ardageri” for outstanding services.