ILO empowers PAWU leaders to combat workplace harassment and promote gender equality
With the support of the ILO-Norway Project on Promoting Workers’ Rights and Gender Equality at Work in Africa – Phase II, the International Labour Organization (ILO) hosted a transformative two-day training session for 40 leaders of the Plantation Agriculture Workers Union (PAWU).
21 May 2025
BLANTYRE, Malawi (ILO News) – These union representatives, drawn from the tea and macadamia plantations of Thyolo, Mulanje, Nkhata-Bay, and Salima districts, gathered in Blantyre, Malawi, from 5 to 6 May 2025.
The training carried a powerful theme: “Preventing and Addressing Gender-Based Violence and Harassment in the Tea and Macadamia Sectors: The role of plantation agriculture workers union in promoting gender equality, respect, and non-discrimination.”
It aimed to equip union leaders with critical skills and knowledge to actively combat gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) while fostering effective grievance mechanisms that safeguard workers’ rights and dignity.
Building on the successes of Phase I of the Norwegian Project—an initiative that championed workers’ rights and the principles of ILO Convention 190 (C190) in the tea sector—the training reinforced efforts to secure Malawi’s ratification of this crucial convention.
One of the participants, Mr. Masasa Kacheche from Salima District, expressed deep gratitude for the training, emphasizing its profound impact on union leaders.
We are truly grateful to the ILO for organizing this seminar, which has empowered us with essential skills to prevent and address violence and harassment in our workplaces. The insights gained here are invaluable, and I am eager to share them with my fellow workers
Mr. Kacheche, participant
Beyond individual learning, Mr. Kacheche highlighted PAWU’s steadfast commitment to strengthening gender-responsive workplace policies.
He underscored the importance of creating safer, healthier, and more inclusive environments, particularly for women workers across Malawi.
With renewed determination, he urged union leaders to take bold and proactive action in tackling the pressing issues affecting the well-being of plantation workers, ensuring that every worker’s voice is heard and protected.