UNI WOMEN-RULES

UNION NETWORK INTERNATIONAL

UNI WOMEN

RULES

INTER-PROFESSIONAL GROUP FOR WOMEN

1. Name and Participation

1.1 The inter-professional group shall be known as UNI Women.

1.2 Women members of all affiliates of UNI shall have the right to participate in the activities

of UNI Women.

2. Objectives

The objectives of UNI Women, within the overall policies of UNI and the objectives of UNI as established in the Statutes and Memorandum of Understanding, shall be:

a) to develop and implement strategies and policies, determine priorities for women members and advise the World Executive Board, Regional Executive Committees and sectors of UNI on women's and gender equality issues;

b) to further the objectives, as set out in the UNI Statutes, within its own sphere of competence and to develop and carry out strategies for defending and promoting the interests of women workers;

c) to monitor progress towards establishing gender equality, within UNI structures and activities and outside;

d) to support the adoption and implementation of improved international and national legislation to protect and enhance the rights of women;

e) to assist in making sure that gender equality is being considered in all the work, policy decisions and actions of UNI at global, regional and sectoral level; and its application is respected;

f) to establish and maintain links with trade union women groups, including those of affiliates and in particular the ICFTU and its regional organisations, and other women's organisations or groups. Rules UNI Women 2

3. Activities

3.1 UNI Women shall maintain or establish links and undertake concerted actions with other appropriate organisations that may assist in protecting and/or promoting the best interests of the working women.

3.2 UNI Women shall seek to build solidarity networks and to establish information and communication technology networks.

3.3 UNI Women shall arrange women's meetings as required at global and regional level in order to establish common policies and priorities for action and to promote and coordinate their implementation.

3.4 UNI Women shall undertake training and research activities and collect and disseminate information at global, regional and sectoral levels on issues of concern to women workers.

4. World Women's Conferences, Meetings and Committee

4.1 World Women's Conferences shall take place at least every four years immediately prior to the World Congress.

4.2 It shall be the responsibility of a World Women's Conference to elect a World Women's Committee to manage women's activities between World Women's Conferences. The Committee shall meet as required, but not less than once a year.

4.3 Other meetings dealing with policy development or issues of particular concern to women may also be held.

4.4 Women members of all UNI affiliates shall be entitled to participate in conferences and meetings convened under articles 4.1 and 4.3 of these rules.

4.5 Issues of general policy arising at the World Women's Conference shall be referred to the World Executive Board.

4.6 The conclusions of World Women's Conferences and meetings shall be referred to the World Executive Board.

4.7 Annual reports on global women's activities shall be presented to the World Executive Board.

4.8 The organisational costs of World Women's Conferences and meetings shall be borne by UNI.

Rules UNI Women 3

5. Regional Women's Conferences and Committees

5.1 Regional Women's Conferences shall take place at least every four years, and Regional Women's Committee Meetings shall take place on an annual basis.

5.2 Women members of all UNI affiliates shall have the opportunity to participate in Regional Women's Conferences and Meetings. Regional Women's Conferences shall elect a Regional Women's Committee, their representative for the reserved seat on the World

Executive Board as well as their representatives for the reserved seats on the Regional Executive Committee.

5.3 Issues of general policy arising at the Regional Women's Conference shall be referred to the Regional Executive Committee.

5.4 The conclusions of Regional Women's Conferences and Committee Meetings shall be referred to the Regional Executive Committee.

5.5 Annual reports on regional Women's activities shall be presented to the Regional Executive Committee.

5.6 The organisational costs of Regional Women's Conferences and Committee Meetings shall be borne by the regional organisations.

6. Representation at Conferences

6.1 The number of delegates that affiliates are entitled to send to Women's Conferences shall be determined as follows:

Up to and including Number of delegates

10,000 members 1

50,000 members 2

100,000 members 3

(with entitlement to an additional delegate for each further 100,000 members or part thereof).

6.2 Affiliates may also send observers to the Conference, who shall not have the right to vote. The number of observers authorised may be subject to limitation by the Credentials Committee but in any event shall not exceed the number of accredited delegates representing the affiliate concerned.

6.3 The travelling and subsistence expenses of delegates and observers attending conferences and meetings organised for women shall be the responsibility of affiliates concerned, unless, in exceptional circumstances, the Regional Executive Committee decides otherwise.

Rules UNI Women 4

7. Elections

7.1 Based on nominations from the Regional Women's Conferences, the World Women's Conference shall elect a World Women's Committee of 28 members, consisting of 3 members from UNI-Africa, 7 UNI-Americas, 5 from UNI-Asia and Pacific, and 13 from UNI-Europa, from among the members of the Regional Women's Committees.

7.2 In addition to nominating members for the World Women's Committee, the Regional Women's Conference shall elect a Regional Women's Committee. They shall ensure that there is a fair geographical and sectoral balance among the nominations.

7.3 The delegates attending the World Women's Conference shall elect the World Women's President and the four World Women's Vice-Presidents (one from each region) from among the members of the Regional Women's Committees.

7.4 The delegates attending a Regional Women's Conference shall elect the Regional Women's President and the Regional Women's Vice-President(s), their regional representative for the reserved seat on the World Executive Board as well as their representatives for the reserved seats on the Regional Executive Committees, from among the members of the Regional Women's Committee.

7.5 For each world or regional titular member two substitute members shall be elected. Substitute members shall participate in Committee meetings only in the absence of the titular member.

7.6 Substitute members shall receive all documents and agendas of meetings addressed to the titular members.

7.7 The term of office for the elected officers and committee members referred to in paragraphs 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4 and 7.5. shall extend from the close of one (four-yearly) Women's Conference to the close of the next

7.8 If a titular member's seat becomes vacant, the first substitute for the member concerned automatically becomes the titular member, unless decided otherwise by the Regional Women's Committee; when the seat for the first substitute falls vacant, the second substitute should fill it.

8. World Women's President

8.1 The World Women's President shall be a full member of the UNI World Executive Committee.

8.2 The World Women's President shall be entitled to attend all meetings convened by UNI Women. Rules UNI Women 5

8.3 The World Women's President shall conduct Women's Conferences and Meetings in accordance with these rules and the general principles of the Standing Orders for the World Congress.

8.4 In the absence of the Women's President one of the Vice-Presidents, as determined by the World Women's Committee, shall preside over Women's Conferences with the same duties and authority as the Women's President.

8.5 The World Women's President shall also preside over all other global women's meetings, and the Regional Women's President shall preside over all regional women's conferences and meetings.

8.6 Should the office of the UNI World Women's President become vacant between UNI Women's Conferences, the UNI Women's Committee shall fill the resulting vacancy from amongst its members.

9. Head of Department

9.1 A Head of Department shall be responsible for the activities of UNI Women at UNI head office.

9.2 She shall be appointed by the General Secretary, following consultations with the World Women's Committee.

9.3 The Head of Department shall be responsible for the management, implementation and co-ordination of activities of the inter-professional group and its members, in accordance with policies established by the UNI World Women's Committee, in agreement with the General Secretary.

9.4 The Head of Department shall be involved in any project concerning professional, technical or trade union training for UNI's women members as well as research activities pertaining to gender equality issues (according to the perceived and expressed needs of women members of UNI).

9.5 The Head of Department shall co-operate with the Regional Secretaries and Heads of Department of sectors or inter-professional groups in the implementation of women's activities in the respective regions , sectors and inter-professional groups

9.6 The Head of Department shall submit annual reports the World Executive Board and quadrennial reports to the World Congress and World Women's Conference.

9.7 The Head of Department shall participate in all meetings of the UNI World Executive Board and Regional Executive Committees without the right to vote.

04.09.2001