Algerian women participated in a transformative process of documenting and analyzing their own work environments. The resulting images were showcased in a 2008 International Women’s Day exhibit, enhancing the visibility of women’s crucial contribution to the Algerian economy.
Women in Algeria are a mainstay of the economy, their families, and their unions. Yet their strength and importance are often hidden from view, denied by cultures and traditions that undermine their contributions. A new photo exhibit — images of women by women — showcases working women’s strength and versatility and raises awareness of their crucial contribution to the Algerian economy. The exhibit, launched on March 8, 2008 to commemorate International Women’s Day, is sponsored by the National Commission for Working Women (CNFT-UGTA), a Solidarity Center partner.
The CNFT, a branch of the General Workers Union of Algeria, has led initiatives to promote working women’s rights. It built a national campaign to end workplace sexual harassment and is developing a project to increase working women’s visibility in Algerian culture.
The CNFT had local artists and photographers train graduates of the Solidarity Center-sponsored Women's Regional Empowerment Network in camera techniques and in using photography to promote communication and social change. The women received cameras of their own, took photos of their sisters on the job, and submitted them to a juried competition. The winning entries of bakers, farmers, construction workers, street vendors, teachers, nurses, and more are a clear reminder of the value of women’s work in Algeria.
Read the
AFL-CIO Executive Council Charter of Rights of Working Women, issued for International Women's Day 2009.
Read the 2007 International Trade Union Confederation report on the progress of Algerian union women.
