Building capacity on agricultural safety and health to empower women in rural Zimbabwe
The ILO trained women of Chivi’s rural district to identify and mitigate risks related to safety and health at project sites.
23 March 2016
HARARE – Under the Work Improvement in Neighbourhood Development (WIND), the International Labour Organisation (ILO) organized practical training sessions and simulation exercises for women to recognise areas of risk to safety and health in the southeast rural areas of Zimbabwe.
"We have realized that there is need to change the way we have been working to ensure that we are not injured physically and that we are safe by handling chemicals correctly’, said one of the Chivi beneficiaries after receiving occupational safety and health (OSH) training in the rural economy.
The training programme covered ergonomics, safe handling of chemicals and their disposal, better lighting around the site, training and provision of first aid as well as safety wear such as gloves, masks and overalls to limit exposure to dust and other occupational hazards.
This was based on the ILO's Work Improvement in Neighbourhood Development (WIND) training programme, which provides practical responses to specific challenges of agricultural safety and health.
The training was a continuation of earlier training provided in 2015, which is meant to entrench alertness to safety and health concerns and empower the beneficiaries to establish safety and health standards for themselves and future employees. Can you say something explicit on what has improved since the previous training?
This has been achieved by providing the women with economic opportunities and building their capacity to participate and lead within the project site and their communities.
As with all workspaces, occupational health and safety is important to safeguard decent and safe working conditions within the women's economic empowerment initiatives.
"We have realized that there is need to change the way we have been working to ensure that we are not injured physically and that we are safe by handling chemicals correctly’, said one of the Chivi beneficiaries after receiving occupational safety and health (OSH) training in the rural economy.
The training programme covered ergonomics, safe handling of chemicals and their disposal, better lighting around the site, training and provision of first aid as well as safety wear such as gloves, masks and overalls to limit exposure to dust and other occupational hazards.
This was based on the ILO's Work Improvement in Neighbourhood Development (WIND) training programme, which provides practical responses to specific challenges of agricultural safety and health.
The training was a continuation of earlier training provided in 2015, which is meant to entrench alertness to safety and health concerns and empower the beneficiaries to establish safety and health standards for themselves and future employees. Can you say something explicit on what has improved since the previous training?
Background information
The Chivi Egg Production project under the Joint Programme for Gender Equality (JPGE) has allowed vulnerable women in Ward 11 of Chivi district to change their outlook and circumstances in life.This has been achieved by providing the women with economic opportunities and building their capacity to participate and lead within the project site and their communities.
As with all workspaces, occupational health and safety is important to safeguard decent and safe working conditions within the women's economic empowerment initiatives.