Eldercare in Ghana

Project period:

01.01.2016 - 30.04.2019

Granted amount:

3,360,525,- DKK

Organization:

FOA - Fag og Arbejde

Partners:

Health Service Workers Union of the Ghana TUC (HSUW) Trades Union Congress (Ghana TUC)

Pool:

Civilsamfundspuljen

Grant type:

Projekt E (3 - 5 mio)

Efforts take place in:

Ghana

Overall targets

By 2025, a social sector with focus on quality care for the elderly and decent working conditions for eldercare workers has been established in Ghana with an active involvement of trade unions (TUC Ghana and HSWU).

Immediate targets

1.By 2018, HSWU is publicly recognised as the union representing eldercare workers in Ghana (by its size and by providing quality services to members). 2.The knowledge and capacity of TUC Ghana and HSWU has been strengthened in order to secure that by 2018 the implementation of the National Policy on Ageing (NAP) is progressing in Ghana.

Target groups

The direct recipients: Leaders of TUC Ghana and HSWU as well as representatives and members of HSWU. It is estimated that 12-1300 people will participate directly in project activities. The programme will include a gender perspective as eldercare is an area of employment with a majority of women, and female eldercare workers will be specifically targeted in relation to training activities. The project will also seek to secure an equal representation of men and women in all other capacity building/training activities. • 120 Leaders and representatives in TUC Ghana and HSWU who will participate in networking, training and lobbying activities • 15 HSWU regional industrial relations officers and shop stewards (women/men) trained in negotiations of ‘conditions of service’ for eldercare workers, negotiation of CBAs and negotiation of retirement agreements. The same persons are also trained in adult education in relation to trade unions • 44 Members of HSWU (women/youth) with some experience/education in health– or eldercare trained as tutors in eldercare according to the training curriculum • 100 proprietors who will be sensitized on rights at work, conditions of service, OHS, client safety, etc. • 1000 eldercare workers who will be sensitized on workers’ rights, OHS, organisation and unionism The intended beneficiaries: Health – and eldercare workers targeted in relation to sensitisation and reach out activities will benefit from the project as they will be professionally upgraded in their work with elderly people, as well as they will be informed about labour rights, decent working conditions, OHS etc. Elderly reached through project activities will benefit as their living conditions will improve through a more professional assistance as well as they will be informed about rights, pension, health schemes etc. Finally, with the progress of the implementation of the NAP and improved quality of eldercare services, the project will ultimately benefit the large group of poor and marginalized elderly in Ghana.

Resume

Dette projekt vil bygge videre på det partnerskabssamarbejde mellem landsorganisationen TUC Ghana, det affilierede forbund for sundhedsarbejdere, HSWU, og FOA, der blev påbegyndt i perioden januar 2013 - juli 2014 som et projekt støttet under Civilsamfundspuljen. Projektet vil bruge de erfaringer der tidligere er opsamlet til fortsat at kapacitetsopbygge partnere, så de kan advokere for etableringen af en ældresektor, der både sikrer ældre bedre levevilkår samt sikrer anstændige arbejdsforhold og faglig uddannelse for ansatte i branchen. Ældresektoren i Ghana har siden påbegyndelsen af samarbejdet i 2013 udviklet sig hastigt, flere private uddannelser og plejeinstitutioner er kommet til med dertilhørende ansatte, der ikke nødvendigvis er hverken uddannet eller kender deres rettigheder. Der er derfor et stort behov for fortsat at styrke fagbevægelsen i Ghana, så den kan bidrage til at påvirke udviklingen i ældresektoren i en positiv retning.