In order to promote gender equality, specifically in trade unions, the BWI has been steadily implementing various activities through its affiliates to create awareness and sensitise the attitudes of members of BWI at all levels. The current global scenario is adversely impacting the construction workers in general. In view of this, the BWI has developed a gender policy and strategy to enhance and strengthen women’s participation in all trade unions activities and structures to face the challenges before the trade unions. Accordingly it has been encouraging affiliates to organize gender issues and integrate gender in all education activities in order to highlight gender equality.

The general objective of these two activities was to strengthen and build gender awareness amongst leaders and members of BWI affiliates at the local, national, regional and international levels and to use the gender policy and strategy as a guide to works towards gender equality in the BWI affiliates. The specific objectives were:

To discuss the impact of the gender project on unions and assess the “gender stage” at which the union is currently;

To identify changing roles of men and women in the union and/or community, family and in the society with emphasis on roles in the union;

To understand the BWI Global and Regional Gender Policy and Strategy; and draft and plan for future gender equality activities.


The workshops were held in Tamil Nadu India on 21-23 June 2010 and Uttar Pradesh on 25-28 June 2010.