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A strike by Ukraine&rsquo;s two main coal mining unions last week at a state-owned company accomplished its goal: dismissal of the acting general manager. Some 9,000 coal miners of the Coal Mining Industry Workers&rsquo; Union of Ukraine and the Miners&rsquo; Independent Trade Union of Ukraine struck four major coal mines of the Krasnoarmeiskugol Company on 4 September, over mis-managed production and salaries. 
 
The strikes started at the Centralnaya, Stakhanov, Dimitrov, and Rodinskaya mines near the eastern city of Donetsk in the Donbass coal basin. The first demand of the strike was met when the government dismissed the company&rsquo;s general manager, Volodymyr Tymchenko. 
<img height="115" alt="" src="" width="250" />
After negotiations with two deputies in the Coal Ministry, Vladimir Fichev and Anatoly Bolotov, who were quickly dispatched to talk with striking miners, the decision was made to sack Tymchenko. At that, the two mine unions &ndash; both ICEM affiliates &ndash; decided to suspend the strike. 
 
Tensions, however, remain high because of the salary issue. The country&rsquo;s Coal Ministry wants to transfer 50% of workers&rsquo; hourly pay into norm-based remuneration. The mining unions are opposed. The mining unions also seek better production means. The strike comes as Ukraine desperately tries to attract investors to tap new seems of coal, namely in the Dnipr basin. 
 
The strike, which could re-start by month&rsquo;s end if the salary scheme isn&rsquo;t resolved, came amidst Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko publicly stating that success in the coal sector cannot come without an increase to workers&rsquo; social status. He said wages and pensions are too low, saying that the current levels are unfair and less than what miners&rsquo; deserve. He also said technical equipment in mines is poor, and Ukraine averages a death rate of one miner for every one million tonnes of coal produced, twice the rate of that in other countries.

Coal Miners in Ukraine Strike; Tensions Still High

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ICEM-affiliated papermaking union leaders concluded a highly successful set of talks last week in Helsinki and Stockholm. The top leaders, coming from Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the US, as well as Norway, Denmark, and the UK, met through invitation of the Nordic Paper Workers&rsquo; Union network, and in coordination with the ICEM. The meetings took place 4-7 September. 
 
A definitive plan to form a work group and expedite global paper union issues through the ICEM was agreed to. The work group will include representatives from the Communications, Energy, Paperworkers (CEP) Union of Canada, the US&rsquo;s United Steelworkers (USW), and the Nordic paper unions. 
 
The US and Canadian labour leaders met with senior managers of both UPM (Kymmene) and Stora Enso, and visited the two company&rsquo;s Finnish mills in Anjalankoski (Stora) and Kymi Mill in Kuusankoski (UPM). A similar visit took place at Stora&rsquo;s Kvarnsveden mill in Borl&auml;nge, Sweden. 
<img height="173" alt="" src="" width="350" />
From left to right: Jan-Henrik Sandberg, Pappers; Jouko Ahonen, Paperiliitto; Dave Coles, CEP; Jon Geenen, USW; and Marrku Palokangas, Toimihenkil&ouml;unioni.
The conference and series of meetings was initiated by ICEM affiliates Paperiliitto in Finland and Svenska Pappers in Sweden. Paperiliitto President Jouko Ahonen and Pappers President Jan-Henrik Sandberg hosted the strategic meetings. The work group will come together in the next few months to undertake an immediate plan of action together with the ICEM. 
 
From Canada, CEP President Dave Coles, Sec.-Treas. Gaetan Menard, and CEP Assistant Fred Wilson attended the meetings. From the US, the meetings included USW Director Jon Geenen, Staff Representative Michael Bolton, and local branch leader and Stora worker Mike Peplinski, who serves as USW&rsquo;s delegate to Stora Enso&rsquo;s European Works Council (EWC). 
 
From Finland, ICEM Paper Sector Chairman Ahonen led a Paperiliiito contingent consisting of Petri Vanhala, Esa M&auml;isti, Sauli Jovanen, Juhani Siira, and Aila Sepp&auml;l&auml;. Finnish delegates also included Markku Palokangas and Jukka H&auml;m&auml;l&auml;inen, from ICEM affiliate Toimihenkil&ouml;unioni, the Trade Union of Salaried Employees. 
In Finland, the Nordic and North American paper union leaders met also with senior leaders of Kemianliitto, affiliate Chemical Workers&rsquo; Trade Union, and heard thorough reports from Paperiliitto on health and safety in the paper sector, the union&rsquo;s unemployment fund, and capital investment in the industry, in which Finnish shop stewards, safety delegates, and EWC representatives from all companies participated. 
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From Sweden, Bengt Sj&ouml;holm, Christer Larsson, and Mikael Jansson of Pappers participated, while SIF&rsquo;s Lis-Marie Fondberg also took part. Other Nordic representatives at the network meetings included ones from CO-Industri in Denmark and Fellesforbundet in Norway. The Amicus Section of UK affiliate Unite was also strategically included. 
 
The success of last week&rsquo;s Nordic tour was expressed in the words of the North Americans. 
 
These meetings, said CEP&rsquo;s Dave Coles, &ldquo;exceed our expectations. We have put a work plan forward and there is absolute consensus on moving forward and fast. This is a critical time for paperworkers in many countries.&rdquo; 
 
USW Director Jon Geenen said economic reports coming from the visit confirm the global pulp and paper sector has no limits when it comes to national or geographic boundaries. &ldquo;Emerging markets in developing nations are attracting capital for obvious reasons, while short-term, Wall Street mentality punishes corporations that invest badly-needed capital in other nations,&rdquo; stated Geenen.

Nordic, North American Paper Union Leaders Come Together to Shape Strategic Vision

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At an ICEM Latin American meeting, several South American unions involved in labour-energy strategies, met in Montevideo, Uruguay, on 29-30 August. 
 
The ICEM invited two other Global Union Federations (GUFs), Public Services International (PSI), and Union Network International (UNI), as well to participate. Unions from the oil, gas, and electricity sectors attended, as did Uruguay&rsquo;s paperworkers&rsquo; union. The major theme across the two days of discussions was discerning differences between a solely Latin-focused social plan and union network, and a more far-reaching, global network of energy and manufacturing unions. 
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From left to right: Fernando Berasain, coordinadora Mercosur unions, Achim Wachendorfer, FES Mercosur Office, and Manfred Warda, ICEM General Secretary
The ICEM stressed the number of multinationals operating in the region, including ones from Spain, Italy, Germany, France, and Russia. &ldquo;With the high number of progressive changes coming politically in many Latin countries,&rdquo; said ICEM Gen. Sec. Manfred Warda, &ldquo;we can expect multinationals to be more open about entering dialogue toward global agreements.&rdquo; The ICEM already is partner with companies in countries above in global framework agreements. 
 
Warda invited all Latin American trade unions to join the ICEM, or one or another of the GUFs, in order to support the current trend of cooperation among global trade unions and federations. &ldquo;The ICEM calls on all unions in the region to build a strong movement, not just in Latin America but in energy sectors across the world,&rdquo; said Warda. &ldquo;The ICEM asks Latin trade unions not to formally establish a separate organisation, but give support to the existing organisations and strong influence on the global issues that matter, especially energy.&rdquo; 
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Trade unions from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela attended the meeting, including representatives from national centres from several countries. 
 
For the ICEM, the conference served to advance a recently started project in Brazil on social dialogue with several multinationals, a project similar to the ICEM project launched in Colombia in 2004. The ICEM also opened the debate on Contract and Agency Labour (CAL). Contributions on this topic came from nearly all participants, and many had positive examples that shed new light on the issue. The union delegates discussed the ICEM&rsquo;s CAL Project, and agreed that a priority must be on organising contract workers. They also pledged to write letters to respective energy ministers on the dangers of sub-contracting. 
<img height="210" alt="" src="" width="350" />
And also from the ICEM, Vice President Sergio Novais, Latin America/Caribbean Region chairman of the ICEM, presented a training and leadership programme, which would start with 30 trade union leaders doing a residential course. In between, the 30 would be engaged in an intense, 200-hour training in distance and e-learning, with the union leaders expected to each train 20 other union members. 
 
The formal meeting adopted two resolutions, one on the continuing threats and deaths of Colombian trade unionists. The other one extended support to workers in Peru, who experienced death and destruction from the recent earthquake in the country. The <a href="/en/26-Latin-America-Caribbean/2384-ICEM-resolution-on-Colombia-ICEM-Latin-America-energy-meeting-in-Montevideo-Uruguay ">Colombian resolution can be found here</a>. The <a href="/en/26-Latin-America-Caribbean/2383-ICEM-Resolution-on-Peruvian-earthquakes-ICEM-Latin-America-energy-meeting-in-Montevideo-Uruguay">Peruvian one is here</a>. 
 
The meeting was aided by help from the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES).

Latin American Energy Conference in Uruguay Gets Sound Footings

Trade unions from ten Arabic-speaking Middle Eastern and North African countries gathered in Amman, Jordan, on 2-3 September, and the result was a loud cry for global union solidarity from the unions of the politically troubled region. The event was an ICEM regional conference, and the Global Union Federation has now received 11 requests for affiliation from unions that attended. 
 
Jordanian Labour Ministry official Majeed-el Hbachena opened the conference, and said it is important that states offer constitutional and legal rights to trade unions so that they may fulfil their obligations. He also said governments must engage trade unions in developing education and training strategies for workers. 
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Key items in discussions over the two days included efforts by Iraqi unions to defeat the proposed oil law in that country, and winning respect and fair treatment for Palestinian workers from Israel and the global community. The 35 trade union leaders that attended stood united behind the position that Iraq&rsquo;s natural resources belong to all Iraqi people! 
 
Trade unions from Kuwait, Yemen, Algeria, Egypt, and Iraq seek affiliation with the ICEM. &ldquo;We have an important role to play in the region,&rdquo; said ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda. &ldquo;It is oil and gas, but electrical power, mining, and chemicals are also of major importance. Faced with increased levels of privatisation and contract and agency labour, unions in MENA face the same attacks as unions everywhere,&rdquo; said Warda. 
 
The region also elected its nominees for ICEM statutory positions, posts that will be endorsed at ICEM&rsquo;s November Congress. Some positions were designated on a yearly rotation system in order to bring more Middle East and North African (MENA) unions to the global front. Selected as the ICEM Vice President and Presidium member, in a rotating role, was Mohamed el-Sayed Morsi of Egypt&rsquo;s Public Syndicate of Public Utilities. Current Executive Committee member Abdeslam Mansour of UMT, Morocco, was confirmed to retain that seat, and the substitute post will rotate between a delegate from Jordan&rsquo;s General Union of Petrol and Chemicals Workers&rsquo; Union, and the General Union of Petroleum, Mining, and Chemicals Workers in Palestine (GUPMCWP). 
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Hashmeya Muhsin Hussein, president of Iraq&rsquo;s General Union of Electricity Workers and Technicians (GUEWT), a member union of the General Federation of Iraqi Workers (GFIW) and ICEM&rsquo;s first affiliate from the occupied country, was nominated as the future Women&rsquo;s representative on the Executive Committee. 
 
ICEM&rsquo;s work in the region was strongly supported in Amman by the presence and voices of ICEM President Senzeni Zokwana, the president of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in South Africa, and Welile Nolingo, the general secretary of South Africa&rsquo;s Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers&rsquo; Union (CEPPWAWU), who also is an ICEM Presidium Member. 
 
The conference had the support and expertise of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES). FES&rsquo;s Britta K&auml;hler, from the Jordan office, played a major role in developing and carrying out the conference. It also benefited through involvement from the US Solidarity Center.

ICEM’s Middle East-North Africa Region Surges with New Growth

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At the 61st United Nations General Assembly, on 13 September 2007, member nations formally adopted the important Declaration on Rights of Indigenous People, a UN milestone that was marked by 25 years of debate. The vote was 143 nations in favour, four against, with 11 abstentions. 
 
The four nations that rejected the Declaration are Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the US. 
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The non-binding charter protects the human rights of 370 million native people, and sets out individual and collective rights to protect their lands and resources, as well as to maintain their unique cultures and traditions. The declaration includes provisions on fundamental needs, including food, health, and education. It also prohibits discrimination against indigenous peoples and promotes their full and effective participation in all matters that concern them. 
 
The UN&rsquo;s Human Rights Council adopted the Declaration in June 2006. The General Assembly deferred consideration of the Declaration late last year over member nations&rsquo; objections to language defining self-determination and indigenous people. 
 
The 107th and 108th Meetings of the 61st General Assembly produced the historic passage of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. UN Delegates from Peru introduced the Declaration. The 11 nations that abstained in the vote include: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burundi, Colombia, Georgia, Kenya, Nigeria, Russia, Samoa, and Ukraine.

UN General Assembly Adopts Historic Indigenous Peoples Declaration

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Following the lead taken by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the ICEM has registered strong condemnation of the heavy jail sentences given to six labour activists by Burma&rsquo;s military junta. On 7 September, a closed trial inside Insein prison sentenced four of the activists to 28 years in prison, while two others received 20-year sentences. 
 
The ICEM calls the prison terms &ldquo;unjustified and scandalous.&rdquo; 
 
Four of the six were charged with attending a labour rights seminar at the American Centre of the US Embassy on 1 May 2007, and two others were unjustly convicted for bringing attention to the arrests days later. The six were found guilty of sedition and organising an unlawful gathering. 
The six men, all labour activists in their 20s, were among 30 Burmese citizens detained at the Labour Day event. While most of those attending were released within hours, Thurein Aung, Kyaw Kyaw, Shwe Joe, Wai Lin, Aung Naing Tun, and Nyi Nyi Zaw were held. On 4 May, Shwe Joe and Aung Naing Tun were released. 
<img height="115" alt="" src="" width="250" />
Thurein Aung, Wai Lin, Myo Min, and Kyaw Win were sentenced to 28 years, while Nyi Nyi Zaw and Kyaw Kyaw received 20-year prison terms. Kyaw Win and Myo Min were arrested on 10 May for travelling to the Thai-Burmese border to get word out of the country about the May Day arrests.&nbsp;
In the ICEM protest letter to the senior leader of the military junta, the global union federation stated that it &ldquo;learned all six men were found guilty of &lsquo;inciting hatred or contempt for the government&rsquo; during a trial held inside Rangoon&rsquo;s Insein prison, and that some were convicted for being members of &lsquo;illegal associations.&rsquo;&rdquo; 
 
The letter added, &ldquo;&hellip; detaining and sentencing workers who exercise their right to freedom of association is a clear violation of international labour standards, including ILO Convention 87, which has been ratified by your country.&rdquo; 
 
The Burmese junta has a long history of unwarranted attacks on the Federation of Trade Unions of Burma (FTUB), the legitimate labour organisation that defends workers&rsquo; rights in Burma. 
 
The ICEM demands the immediate and unconditional release of the six. The ICEM protest letter can be found <a href="/en/7-Asia-Pacific/2397-ICEM-protest-letter-to-Burmese-Junta">here</a>.

28-Year Prison Sentences Given to Labour Activists Inside Burma

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North American ICEM affiliate, United Steelworkers (USW), began its largest ever conference of women workers in Toronto, Ontario, yesterday. Over 1,000 trade union women from Canada and the US are expected at the four-day conference, which is entitled &ldquo;Women of Steel: Building Power, Taking Action.&rdquo; 
 
USW President Leo Gerard will address the conference today, 24 September. Also speaking will be Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of US presidential candidate John Edwards, who has won the endorsement of the USW, and progressive American blogger Arianna Huffington. Canadian Member of Parliament Libby Davies, from the New Democratic Party, will also address the conference. 
<img height="74" src="" width="59" alt="" />
Gerard will introduce to delegates the &ldquo;Protect Our Kids/Stop Toxic Imports&rdquo; campaign, which will be unveiled in Canada tomorrow, 25 September. 
 
Workshops will centre on engaging women in the work of the union, skills enhancement, work-life balance, political action, and global solidarity. The USW will host global trade union guests from Brazil, Chile, Germany, Mexico, Sweden, South Africa, and the UK. 
<img height="175" src="" width="175" alt="" />
&ldquo;Strong unions need women, and it is clear that women in every nation need strong unions,&rdquo; said USW Assistant to the President Leeann Anderson. USW Women of Steel Director Ann Flener added that union &ldquo;women know that in today&rsquo;s global economic society, solidarity must reach across nations to the furthest regions of the world. We must talk with each other, compare situations, and learn best practices from each other&rsquo;s experiences.&rdquo;

North American ‘Women of Steel’ Convene Largest Ever Women’s Conference

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ICEM affiliate in Mozambique, the National Union of Chemical, Rubber, Paper, and Print Workers (SINTIQUIGRA), has forged a four-union merger with transportation and textile workers&rsquo; unions, in an effort to strengthen the union movement of the country. 
 
The merger is partly in honour of Joaquim Fanheiro, former leader of SINTIQUIGRA, who died unexpectedly in March 2007 while serving as general secretary of the Mozambique Workers&rsquo; Organisation (OTM), the nation&rsquo;s leading national labour centre. The other merger partners are the Union of Textile and Footwear Workers&rsquo; (SINTIVEC), the National Union of Port and Railway Workers&rsquo; (SINPOCAF), and the Ports and Allied Dockworkers&rsquo; Union (SINPEOC).
A name for the union has not yet been determined, but a founding general assembly meeting will occur in November 2007 and will address that and other matters. 
<img height="115" src="" width="250" alt="" />
Union merger discussions in Mozambique began last spring between SINTIQUIGRA and SINTIVEC. They were expanded in the summer to include the transport and dockworkers&rsquo; unions. The combined membership of the four unions will be about 25,000. 
Comrade Fanheiro was a long-time trade union activist and main leader of SINTIUIGRA. He was a strong workers&rsquo; advocate in 1970-era production councils in Mozambique, which were predecessors to the OTM. Later, he became the distinguished leader of the OTM and played a key role in negotiations with the government over issues such as the annual increases to the statutory minimum wage and the revisions to Mozambique&rsquo;s labour code. 
 
Trade unions in Mozambique of late have been burdened by downsizings and redundancies, as many large companies have splintered their businesses off to smaller companies, which have cut staff and attempt to slash social costs. The four-union merger is expected to make the labour movement and the OTM stronger and more efficient.

Four-Union Mozambique Merger to Honour Labour Legacy of Joaquim Fanheiro

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Mobilisation of European trade unions is in full force, counting down to a 4 December European Day of Action in Rotterdam, Netherlands, against food and chemicals company Unilever&rsquo;s unjust job cuts. The mobilisation is being headed by the European Federation of Food, Agriculture, and Tourism Trade Unions (EFFAT), and has the full support of the European Trade Union Congress (ETUC), the European Mine, Chemical, and Energy Federation (EMCEF), and the ICEM. 
In August, the Anglo-Dutch company announced a global reorganisation plan that would make redundant one-tenth of its 180,000 employees. Unilever would close 60 workplaces, out of 300 worldwide. In Europe, the company&rsquo;s global plan results in 10,000 to 12,000 job losses, with 20 to 25 plants endangered over the next 3 years. 
<img height="46" alt="" src="" width="146" align="absMiddle" />&nbsp;&nbsp; <img height="85" alt="" src="" width="100" align="absMiddle" />
In The Netherlands, where a number of strikes have already occurred, FNV Bondgenoten and CNV Voeding came to agreement with Unilever recently over a new collective agreement, as well as job security terms over closure of three Dutch plants by the end of 2008. The plants targeted for closure are in Delft, where Calv&eacute; food products are made; in Loosdrecht, a plant making Knorr food products; and in Vlaardingen, a Lever Faberg&eacute; plant where consumer products are made. 
 
The job security terms state that plant-site Works Councils will study the company&rsquo;s plans and be allowed to develop alternatives. Those alternatives will then be seriously considered by the company in consultations with workers&rsquo; representatives. The two unions also agreed to fair compensation for any proposed job cuts. Unilever also guarantees that there will be no compulsory redundancies. 
In the collective agreement, running from May 2007 to March 2009, Dutch workers received a retroactive backpay award of 3% to last May. On 1 March 2008, they will receive a structural pay raise of 3.5%. The contract covers 3,000 workers. 
<img height="203" alt="" src="" width="200" />
For the 4 December manifestation, the ICEM and EMCEF issued a joint declaration regarding Unilever&rsquo;s global restructuring. In part, it reads, &ldquo;Unilever&rsquo;s August 2007 announced restructuring is the wrong response to the financial community&rsquo;s criticism of the company.&rdquo; 
 
The ICEM, along with its sister Global Union Federation, the International Union of Food Workers&rsquo; Association (IUF), cites Unilever&rsquo;s anti-worker behaviour elsewhere as well. In India, the company has engaged in union-busting with the Hindustan Lever Employees Union at a factory in Assam. In trying to avoid social dialogue with the union, Unilever sold the food operation to a shell company. In Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan, at a foods and tea factory, Unilever called in armed militia to break workers protest against a plan to replace 950 permanent jobs, out of 1,200, with casual and contract workers. 
<img height="75" alt="" src="" width="70" />
In Vinheido, Brazil, Unilever took an uncompromising position in collective negotiations that set the worst precedents on implementing precarious work. Likewise, in Chile, South Africa, and Colombia, Unilever has exhibited clear and negative attitudes relating to labour relations.

European Unions to March 4 December Against Unilever’s Restructuring

<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
1. The ICEM Women&rsquo;s Conference Runs 17-18 November in Bangkok 
2. Africa &ndash; More Women in Governments 
3. Mexico &ndash; Discrimination Is on the Rise 
4. The Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) Meets in Washington 
5. &lsquo;Molecular condom&rsquo; Is Developed To Fight HIV/AIDS 
6. From Our Readers 
7. Resources
<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
1. The ICEM Women&rsquo;s Conference Runs 17-18 November in Bangkok
All systems are go for the ICEM Women&rsquo;s Conference, which will kick off week-long events of the ICEM&rsquo;s Fourth Congress in Bangkok, Thailand. The Women&rsquo;s Committee will be meeting on 17 and 18 November, and most delegates will stay on to attend Congress as delegates. The conference theme is &ldquo;Women &ndash; Work &ndash; 21st Century.&rdquo; 
 
The theme blocks for the conference will cover peace, contract and agency labour, women&rsquo;s health in the broadest sense, and the work-life balance. Presentations, debates, and working groups will contemplate these subjects and decide on a work plan covering these issues for the next four years. Congress motions will also be discussed. 
 
The conference will elect the chair and vice-chair of the Women&rsquo;s Section, who in turn will sit on the ICEM Presidium. We look forward to seeing you in great numbers in Bangkok! 
&nbsp;<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
2. Africa &ndash; More Women in Governments 
In Morocco, seven women were appointed to head strategic ministries, ranging from energy to culture. This compares with two in the previous government. In Senegal, the new Senate has double the number of women. There are now 40 women in that body, out of 100 total, and this compares with the previous chamber, which had only 18 women. 
&nbsp;<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
3. Mexico &ndash; Discrimination Is on the Rise 
A recent Mexican report indicates that accusations for job-related discrimination have gone up astronomically. From 2001 to 2006 the accusations of sexual harassment went up by 122%, firing for pregnancy-related causes by 106%, work-related violence by 61% and general discrimination by 133%. 
 
Employers tend to consider pregnancy to be a crime, instead of it being normal and a social responsibility. The Women&rsquo;s Institute considers sexual harassment to be one of the reasons why women are not promoted. The salary gap in Mexico is between 7% and 35%. The old forms of discrimination still remain, but they have been joined by new ones &ndash; emphasis on size, stature, figure, physical appearance, and simply on being single. 
 
Discrimination is banned by the Constitution, but the Labour Ministry feels that not much can be done against it because there are too loopholes. The main problem is that there is no culture of equality. Economic necessity also forces women to accept jobs that they know beforehand discrimination exists. But when women are heads of families, they have little choice. 
&nbsp;<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
4. The Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) Meets in Washington 
The Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) met in Washington on 5-6 November. The Commission worked on the Draft Declaration of San Salvador: Gender, Violence, and HIV and redrafting its statutes. CIM, a specialized organization of the Organization of American States, is the principal forum for generating hemispheric policy to advance women's rights and gender equality. 
 
Established in 1928 at the Sixth International Conference of American States (Havana, Cuba), the CIM was the first official intergovernmental agency in the world created expressly to ensure recognition of the civil and political rights of women. As such, it has played a crucial role in making the participation and support of women a legitimate and indispensable part of governance and international consensus building in the Americas. 
&nbsp;<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
5. &lsquo;Molecular condom&rsquo; Is Developed To Fight HIV/AIDS
Kavita Gupta, a female doctoral student from India at the University of Utah in the US, has developed a &quot;molecular condom.&quot; The condom is really a microbicide gel that kills HIV, and is designed to allow women more control in preventing AIDS since partners need to be involved in the application. 
The university is partnering with a contraceptive marketer to sell the products in India, where AIDS in increasingly being seen as a feminized disease. AIDS is spreading most rapidly in India among young women, according to the World Health Organization, and 2.5 million people there carry the virus. 
&nbsp;<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
6. From Our Readers 
 
The Women&rsquo;s Committee in the Petrochemical, Mines and Energy Workers Union in Palestine held a four-day workshop to train women. The aim of the workshop was to enable women to make plans and support women&rsquo;s issues so that they would have experience and insight into women&rsquo;s activities in Arab countries and the world. 
The workshop dealt with women and democracy, new technologies, public speaking, and support mechanisms for women workers. The women had many ideas about trade unions and society. At the end they received a diploma. 
&nbsp;<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
7. Resources
<a href="http://www.siyanda.org/docs/WGEKN_sen_ostlin_george.pdf">Unequal, Unfair, Ineffective and Inefficient Gender Inequity in Health</a>: Why it exists and how we can change it - Final Report to the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health - September 2007 - Women and Gender Equity Knowledge Network 
<a href="http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTOGMC/EXTEXTINDWOM/0,,menuPK:3157100~pagePK:149018~piPK:149093~theSitePK:3156914,00.html">World Bank&rsquo;s website &ndash; Extractive Industries and Gender</a> 
<a href="http://www.mdgmonitor.org">http://www.mdgmonitor.org</a> 
UN&rsquo;s new website to track progress on the Millennium Development Goals. 
<a href="http://www.catalystwomen.org">http://www.catalystwomen.org</a> 
On reports on gender stereotyping at work, inclusive work environments and women&rsquo;s progress in business. 
<a href="http://www.uchastings.edu/?pid=3624">http://www.uchastings.edu/?pid=3624</a> 
Work Life Law, a site dealing with family responsibilities and discrimination 
<a href="http://www.ilo.org/global/About_the_ILO/Media_and_public_information/Feature_stories/lang--en/WCMS_084620/index.htm">Women in the workplace</a>: New ILO report highlights how action in the world of work can help reduce maternal deaths 
<a href="http://www.observatoriogeneroyliderazgo.cl/">http://www.observatoriogeneroyliderazgo.cl/</a> 
Women Leadership (in Spanish) 
<a href="http://www.generoycomercio.org/">http://www.generoycomercio.org/</a> 
Gender and Trade (in Spanish) 
<a href="http://www.weforum.org/en/initiatives/gcp/Gender%20Gap/index.htm ">The Global Gender Gap Report 2007</a> 
<a href="http://nomasviolenciacontramujeres.cl/cms/">http://nomasviolenciacontramujeres.cl/cms/</a> 
Chilean network against domestic and sexual violence (in Spanish)

ICEM WOMEN’S BULLETIN 26

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