Defending Workers' Rights and Promoting Democracy and Economic Reform in Belarus

Development Objective Defending fundamental workers’ rights, promoting democracy and socially responsible economic reform in Belarus by assisting the trade unions in their struggle for efficient workers’ representation and fundamental economic and political reform Immediate Objectives 2.2.1. Improving the unions’ internal and external communication and information policy 2.2.2. Strengthening of internal trade union democracy and accountability through a modern trade union education system based on interactive and participatory training methodologies 2.2.3. Enhancing trade union competency in the sphere of social and economic policy through the development of a Trade Union Centre for Social and Economic Policy. Outcomes During the project implementation trade unions gained theoretical and practical knowledge which remain at their disposal. They can work now more efficiently. • The information program – stereotypes in relation to information activities had been changed, a number of trainers and experts had been prepared, the information exchange has been established, and information campaigns were carried out. • The educational program –more than 200 seminars were conducted and the group of trade union trainers was prepared • The economic policy program –the program was developed, presented to trade unions and the government, and received high assessment of experts, while the government has actually implemented some of the reform proposals although explicitly not admitting the initiative of independent trade unions. Despite the full achievement of short-term objectives, the development objective of the project has been realized only partially. This is because of unwillingness of the Belarusian authorities to conduct social dialogue with the independent and democratic trade unions. Their strengthening provoked negative reaction so the practical implementation of the socially responsible economic reforms had been blocked. Despite the assistance and expertise granted to the Belarusian trade unions, social dialogue has been very hard to establish, especially with a partner unwilling to cooperate and deliberately employing coercion.

Project symbol

BYE/01/01/FRG

Admin unit

ACTRAV

Start date

01/02/2002

End date

31/01/2005

Total allocation

695161

Total expenditure

Status

Closed

695161

Development Partners

Germany, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

Country/Countries

Belarus

Outcomes

Coherent economic and social policies in support of decent work