{"id":27067,"date":"2025-02-14T14:28:31","date_gmt":"2025-02-14T13:28:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uniglobalunion.org\/?post_type=news&#038;p=27067"},"modified":"2025-02-14T15:12:21","modified_gmt":"2025-02-14T14:12:21","slug":"south-asian-community-health-workers-unite","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/uniglobalunion.org\/news\/south-asian-community-health-workers-unite\/","title":{"rendered":"South Asian Community health workers unite"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Community health worker (CHW) union leaders from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh have launched a new initiative to strengthen the CHW movement across South Asia. Backed by UNI Global Union and the SAGE Fund, the project aims to help CHWs improve working conditions, formalize employment and secure their rights as workers.<\/p>\r\n<p>The launch was hosted by the Government Midwifery Service Association (GMSA), Sri Lanka\u2019s largest women\u2019s healthcare union, <strong><u>in Colombo, and<\/u><\/strong>\u00a0the gathering provided a platform for CHW leaders to exchange experiences, strategize campaign plans and participate in workshops to build their organizing and training capacity.<\/p>\r\n<p>By coming together, unions will grow their power through organizing for strong, democratic and independent women-led unions, expanding federation networks, and advocating for structural labour reforms. T<strong><u>heir campaign will shift attitudes to make clear that community health work<\/u><\/strong>\u00a0is work, and that these workers are not volunteers, deserving of fair wages, social protections and the right to collective bargaining.<\/p>\r\n<p><em>\u201cCommunity Health Workers are the backbone of healthcare systems across South Asia, yet they continue to face precarious conditions. This initiative is a crucial step toward securing their rights, strengthening their unions, and ensuring they are treated as essential workers, not just volunteers,\u201d \u00a0<\/em><strong>Rajendra Acharya, Regional Secretary of UNI Global Union Asia &amp; Pacific.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Devika Kodithuwakku, President of GMSA Sri Lanka<\/strong>, emphasized solidarity, saying, <em>\u201cOur union has great strength, and we share that strength with other trade unions.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Kopila of Hevon Nepal<\/strong>\u00a0stressed the need for formal recognition: <em>\u201cFor years, we have cared for our communities without expecting anything in return. Now, with UNI and the SAGE Fund, we are fighting for the recognition we deserve.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Bushra Arain of ALPU Pakistan<\/strong>\u00a0described the initiative as a milestone for Lady Health Workers, stating, <em>\u201cThis project strengthens our fight for fair wages, better working conditions and the recognition we deserve.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Afshan Babar of<\/strong><strong> PCHWU<\/strong><strong> Pakistan<\/strong>\u00a0highlighted this, stating, <em>\u201cTraining today shapes the leaders of tomorrow. When health workers grow, communities thrive.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p>With this project, UNI Global Union and its partners are committed to transforming the landscape for CHWs in South Asia, amplifying their voices, advancing their rights and strengthening the broader labour movement.<\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Community health worker (CHW) union leaders from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh have launched a new initiative to strengthen the CHW movement across South Asia. Backed by UNI Global Union and the SAGE Fund, the project aims to help CHWs improve working conditions, formalize employment and secure their rights as workers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":27069,"template":"","categories":[41],"global-issues":[],"sectors":[36],"cross-sector-groups":[],"workers-rights":[],"regions":[85],"topics":[],"class_list":["post-27067","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","sectors-care","regions-uni-asia-pacific"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>South Asian Community health workers unite<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/uniglobalunion.org\/news\/south-asian-community-health-workers-unite\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"South Asian Community health workers unite\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Community health worker (CHW) union leaders from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh have launched a new initiative to strengthen the CHW movement across South Asia. 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