Developing Strategies for Change for Women Workers in African Horticulture

A research, education and advocacy project with Trade Unions and NGOs in Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia
April 2008 - March 2011

This project will improve the lives of women horticultural workers who form the majority of the workforce on farms in East Africa that supply to European markets. Many of these women are suffering from a lack of labour rights and social security in the workplace.  The project will support initiatives designed to tackle the causes of the labour rights problems on the farms and strengthen the capacity of local organisations to support women horticultural workers.

Project aim

WWW and partners are using action research, advocacy activities and worker empowerment through training and trade union organising to promote sustainable improvement in working conditions.

The project will combine grass-roots initiatives alongside international advocacy action to tackle the causes of the labour rights violations and challenge those with power to act to protect workers rights.

The Six Key Demands

From the activity of the project to date, we have been able to identify six key demands which emerged as central priorities. 

These are 6 key demands to Farm Owners, Managers and Buyers of the project campaign:

  1. Women’s voices in in trade unions  We must have a system of mature industrial relations in which women are leaders and can raise their voices. 
  2. A Living Wage  What is a job if it doesn’t provide a living?  Increase workers’ wages and end injustice.
  3. Training Workers in their Rights  An informed worker is a responsible worker; to herself, her colleagues and her employer.  Train workers in their rights.
  4. Health & Safety Policies   No-one should suffer physical harm at work: OHS guidelines should be followed to protect all workers
  5. An End to Sexual Harassment  Sexual harassment must end now on these farms!  Train your workers, your supervisors and your managers.  Get policies working and stand behind them.  Workers are your sisters and brothers treat them accordingly.
  6. Flowers shouldn’t cost the earth.  Work hard to eliminate the damage you are doing to our land and our planet.

How the project started

'It is great to be involved in further work promoting women workers' rights in African horticulture. We, along with our partners, want to build on the achievements of the last project with WWW, to create positive, meaningful and sustained change for women workers', Flavia Amoding, Project Co-ordinator, UWEA

This project builds on the WWW's project Promoting Women Workers' Rights in African Horticulture. Although much work was achieved by project partners and there was encouraging dialogue and action by industry stakeholders, more work needs to be undertaken in order see sustained changes in working conditions and empowerment of women workers.

In the horticultural sector in Tanzania, Uganda and Ethiopia, women make up the majority of the workforce, however many experience dire working conditions ranging from excessive or forced overtime, exposure to pesticides, low wages, sexual harassment and limited or restricted access to unionization. Poor working conditions are exacerbated by the use of casual labour meaning workers are unable to challenge working conditions as they fear losing their jobs if they speak out.