Marta Pujadas, the Chair of the International Women's Committee of the Building and Wood Workers' International (IWC-BWI) reflected on the progress made over the past three decades since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. She said that despite the massive progress, persistent barriers continue to impede women's full participation in construction, building materials, wood and forestry. 

BWI said that women workers remain underrepresented in these industries, often relegated to low-paid, low-skilled or informal positions. In these fields, women are mainly confined to administrative, cleaning or support positions, with limited access to technical trades or leadership roles. In forestry, many women contribute unpaid labour to forest management and timber production, without due recognition or economic benefit.

Beyond the specific challenges of each industry, Pujadas said that women in these sectors face broader political attacks on their fundamental rights. Government policies, such as rollbacks in worker protections, environmental regulations, and reproductive rights, disproportionately affect women. She asserted that women workers cannot thrive in an environment where their rights are constantly threatened. 

As such, the BWI International Women’s Committee is demanding the repeal of policies that undermine gender equality, environmental protections and the rights of women workers, including the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining. 

Read her full statement in EN  ES