Ntombikayise Gladwin Gilman

October 17, 2014

Championing Workers Rights Internationally with the Solidarity Center

As attacks against labor unions continue to grow in strength, and as worker rights come to the forefront of global discussions, it is important to fully understand the role of labor in promoting and stabilizing democracy, as well as how workers’ rights translate into all citizens’ rights. How does the recent uprising in Ukraine relate to the fight for workers’ rights? It is important to conduct research on the country’s political and economic structure in order to learn and gain knowledge to help workers in other countries? Was the IMF loan conducive to economic growth in Ukraine? What role do Oligarchs from Ukraine and Georgia play in destabilizing Ukraine’s economic wealth and growth? This summer, Ntombikayise Gladwin Gilman under the supervision of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia department at the Solidarity Center in Washington DC, researched Ukraine’s oligarch government, and also researched the implications of the IMF loan on the shrinking working force. This was not only an opportunity to learn about a current affairs issue, it was also an opportunity to research the importance of labor in all aspects of a society. In addition to research, she was also able to attend high-level meetings and panels in Washington DC on topic of the judiciary systems, the role of oligarchs in the Ukraine, and other topics.