CARE International applauds governments, employers and workers for agreeing a new International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention on ending violence and harassment in the world of work.
This convention means that we now have an international legal standard to specifically protect women at work from harassment and abuse.
The agreement made on 21 June 2019 at the International Labour Conference, the annual gathering of the ILO’s 187 member states, is the first-ever global treaty on violence and harassment in the workplace and follows years of campaigning by trade unions, civil society and women’s organisations, including CARE.
CARE will now be engaging with governments, workers and business at national level to push for the fastest ratification possible. When ILO member states ratify a Convention, they commit themselves to applying the Convention in national law and practice and reporting its application at regular intervals.
Video
Victory! A new global law to end violence and harassment in the world of work has been agreed.
You might also be interested in...
Business urge for a robust new global law to end violence and harassment at work – blog from Business Fights Poverty
Business support is critical to ending gender-based violence at work – CARE Senior Economic Advisor, Hester Le Roux, asks what businesses can do to support global efforts to eradicate sexual harassment and gender-based violence in the workplace
Read the draft text from the International Labour Conference (June 2018)
This Is Not Working: Stopping sexual harassment in workplaces across our region – advocacy report from CARE Australia drawing together key stats and info on sexual harassment in the workplace, and arguments in support of a new international convention to protect women in the workplace.
ILO 'Brown Report' – Ending violence and harassment in the world of work
UK Parliamentary debate 16th May 2018, with Maria Miller MP referencing CARE’s campaign – UK's role in ending violence and harassment at work worldwide
Time for men to show leadership in eliminating violence against women – great blog from Cindy Berman @cindy0berman @ethicaltrade
ILO report on Ending violence and harassment against women and men in the world of work
ILO background paper on Violence against women and men in the world of work
ILO ‘Yellow Report’ presenting member States’ responses and key conclusions about the scope of a proposed global treaty
Bangladesh: Oikko (“unity”) – information on a CARE project in Bangladesh which aims to promote fundamental rights for workers in the ready-made-garment industry
Resources and links
Commonwealth Women’s Forum 2018 outcome statement
International Trade Union Confederation campaign to Stop gender-based violence at work (including campaign toolkit)
Gender-based violence in global supply chains – resource kit from the ILO International Training Centre and the Fair Wear Foundation
ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative) overview of Empowering women workers initiatives by the private sector, NGOs, trade unions and the ETI itself
