Vice President of the Free Trade Union of Belarus (SPB) Maria Taradzetskaya took part in the international women’s school organized by the Pan-European Regional Council (PERC) of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) on October 1-2 in Sophia, Bulgaria.
The main theme of the event was fighting violence and cyber-violence at work, as well as the promotion and implementation of the ILO Convention No. 190 on the elimination of violence against women in the workplace.
Maria gave the story of repressions in Belarus. She stressed that since 2020 over 900 women have become victims of politically motivated repressions, including six female activists of independent union. These women were sentenced to two to eleven years in prison for participation in peaceful protests against the authoritarian regime.
One of the key points in Taradzetskaya’s presentation was the story of Volha Brytsikava, the former leader of the SPB-affiliated workplace union at the Naftan oil refinery who was arrested for her anti-war position and trade union activism. Volha was sentenced to four years in jail and now has to work under forced labour conditions, which vividly illustrates the harsh conditions political prisoners face in Belarusian prisons.
Maria expressed gratitude to the international trade union family for their support and solidarity which mean a lot for Belarusian political prisoners. She pointed out that, despite the repressions, the pressure and the unwavering focus of the international community on Belarus can change the situation.
During a break the Women’s School participants held a solidarity action to support Belarusian trade union activists lingering in prisons and made a group photo wearing T-shirts featuring calls for their release.
The participation of a representative of Belarusian independent unions in the PERC Women’s School became a symbolic and relevant step in the promotion of international solidarity and the strengthening of cooperation in the fight against violence in the workplace and for the rights of women-victims of political repressions.
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