These attacks have contributed to exacerbate poverty and inequality just as they undermine the attainment of social justice. The rights to organize and collectively bargain are coming under renewed attacks by employers and sometimes open support by governments. Labour legislation and practices are devised to deny workers the right to associate and assemble.

It is in view of these that ITUC-Africa and ITUC have launched the process of training paralegal officers within the union to tackle the issues around trade union right violations.

Currently taking place in Abuja-Nigeria is the first Paralegal Master Trainers workshop. The workshop has brought together about 15 members of the Human and Trade Union Rights Network with the objective of equipping members with the basic knowledge essential for guiding, advising and defending workers’ and human rights.

Trained paralegal officers will organize similar training sessions at the national level to train more trade unionists as paralegal officers.