Gaborone: Women trade unionists have been called upon to put pressure on their governments to domesticate some international laws that can empower them in their respective countries.

Maria Fernanda, Chairperson of the Southern Africa Trade Union Coordination Council (SATUCC) of the women's league made the call during a two-day conference that is still ongoing.

Women trade unionists from Southern Africa countries are converging in Gaborone for the first time to revive the Southern Africa Trade Union Coordination Council (SATUCC) that has been dead for almost a decade. The womens' league of the union has offices in Gaborone.

In her presentation, Fernanda said that the majority of destitutes in the SADC region are women and that they are paid less salaries than their counterparts. "Majority of people in the informal sector are women; majority of HIV/AIDS sufferers are women; and majority of poor families are headed by women," she said.

She said that discrimination of women in the region is still rampant because governments have failed to rectify international laws that eliminate discriminatory laws although they are signatory to them. She said women trade unionists must work towards ensuring that governments domesticate some of these laws.

Minister of Labour and Home Affairs Peter Siele told the gathering that Botswana has made great achievements in promoting gender equity over the years in many sectors across age spectrum. "Currently the rate of women holding decision- making positions in the public sector is at 45 percent. Several government financial programmes and subsidies designed to mitigate the effects of poverty are accessible to women," he said.

He said that several ministries have departments mandated with promoting women affairs. Siele said that the Abolition of Marital Power Act of 2005, and the Domestic Violence Act of 2008 are an indication that government wants to create a conducive environment that promotes equal opportunities for all.

"The last 15 years have witnessed the highest rate of law reform to ensure gender equality as a right to women and men in Botswana," he said. The theme of the conference was Women in Trade Unions and Their Role in Regional Development and Integration.

The SATUCC is a regional trade union that represents all major trade unions and was established in 1983 in Gaborone. Some of the affiliates include Confederation of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Tanzania and Lesotho.

The conference is expected to elect a new committee to replace the old one that has held the office for eight years leading it to near collapse. Also attending the conference was president of SATUCC George Nkiwane.