Browse by Theme: ILO Convention

As CARE gets ready to launch its new Women’s Economic Justice strategy, we’re sharing some diverse perspectives on why women’s economic justice matters and what’s needed to achieve it. Shanti Uprety is a Programme Manager at International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW AP), a women’s rights organisation and one of CARE’s key partners on the #RatifyC190 campaign. Shanti shares her thoughts on why a rights-based approach is important, why we need a more caring economy, and why community-driven initiatives are often the most transformative.

Labour and feminist movements around the globe are encouraging countries to ratify ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment in the world of work. We’ve already highlighted some of the actions they are taking to make violence-free workplaces a reality; the RatifyC190 campaign aims to harness this energy and inspire more countries to formally recognise this new global standard on protecting workers.

For many years, efforts to promote gender equality in factories—including those specifically focused on preventing gender-based violence and harassment—have largely taken the form of CSR-style projects centered on training within factories. However, approaching the issue factory by factory means progress remains slow and does not always account for the broader context within which the harassment takes place – both in terms of the workplace itself and its position within a complex global supply chain.

Violence and harassment in the world of work is not just a labour issue but a societal issue, particularly given the ‘shadow pandemic’ of gender-based violence resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. How are national and regional organisations taking action to ensure workers are protected from violence—and what has been learnt about what works?

Co-authored by Hester Le Roux and Siddikur Rahman

As the Generation Equality Forum kicks off in Mexico City this week, we pause to reflect on all the challenges women still face on the road to equality and equity – especially given wide recognition that the global COVID-19 pandemic has impacted women disproportionately, threatening to set back the gender equality agenda by years, if not decades.

Violence against women and girls or gender-based violence (GBV), whether it takes place in the home, in the workplace, in public spaces, schools or communities is one of the most widespread human rights abuses around the world. On average, 1 in 3 women globally experiences physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, usually from an intimate partner. In addition to devastating impacts on the dignity, security and wellbeing of survivors, violence against women also has broad social and economic costs across societies, including costs on public services, lost income and productivity.

On International Women’s Day, 8 March 2020, advocates for better labour rights, especially for women workers, have been celebrating a major achievement: there is now a new international labour standard that recognises everyone’s right to work free from violence and harassment. Yet nothing will change on the ground for working women and men until governments strengthen laws, and employers improve policies and practices.