MEC (Maria Elena Cuadra) providing a better future for women in Nicaragua

Cividep had a session of an interchange of Ideas; four women from Nicaragua who belonged to the Union MEC (Maria Elena Cuadra) came to Bangalore for interaction with the Garment and Textile Workers Union. The focus was of course the Rights of Women in the workplace as well as other problems dealing with different aspects of a Woman’s life.

This time I had a great deal of time to interact with the Nicaraguans on a personal basis. The four women were totally different from each other but their problems similar. One in particular, Teresa, astounded me, her grit and determination to get out of the slums, educate herself all this when she has four small children and one of those children was a child with special needs .

Nicaragua a Catholic country prohibits legalized abortion but allows Family planning by other methods. As they do not get proper education about these other Methods of Family Planning, their only recourse is Abortion which of course is prohibited. The slums are full of pregnant teenagers and orphans. On discussion with the Garment Workers here in Bangalore the Nicaraguans  realized how women who have the same life style as they do, the same wages as they have- did I ever know that Garment Workers work for around 2.5$ Dollars a day around 106.00 Rupees a day? -managed to have only 2 children because they planned their families so very carefully and hardly had any abortions.

They also realized that 61% of Garment Workers in Bangalore were single mothers bringing up their children single handed just like in Nicaragua, some of course have help from their extended families and those who did not, managed it somehow.

A concept in India called Self Help Groups (SHG) teaches Women a great deal about Finance. This is a simple process; a group of women consisting of maybe 20 or more members form a group. They then collect a sum of Rs.100/- per month from each member. An account is opened in a Bank and when required, Micro loans are given at a nominal rate of interest of 2%. This is very low as compared to the high interest rates at the banks.

Life for Women Garment Workers is difficult, long hours of work sometimes with no overtime, abuse from the employers, many a times sexual abuse. Hardly any leave and if you do not belong to any Union you can be asked to leave at any time.

Each group of women had their own surprises, the Nicaraguans were appalled at the concept of Dowry, they felt women were sold as objects to the highest bidder, a mere commodity. The poverty of the Nicaraguans appalled our Indian women; a staple diet of beans, rice and a small bit of cheese is all they can afford at the moment, food prices in Nicaragua are so high that meat of any type is a luxury and a very distant dream.

In Nicaragua women battled long and hard for Equal Wages for Men and Women, in this age of Globalisation with techies earning millions and not knowing what to do with their money are we aware that there are women like Teresa, Connie, Yashoda and Hema who budget so hard and have to think of every penny they spend?