A step towards eliminating violence & harassment in the world of work
By Nebila Abdulmelik, pan-African and feminist storyteller
Most, if not all of us, have experienced it. While workplace violence and harassment should never be accepted, it has been one of those common injustices that we speak about amongst our sisters in exasperation. But now, for the very first time, we have international labour standards that seek to end it by holding governments to account.
The ILO (International Labor Organization) Convention 190 and its accompanying Recommendation 206 officially recognise the right of everyone to a world of work free of violence and harassment. First adopted in 2019, the ILO 190 Convention entered into force two years later in June 2021. As of today, it has been ratified by nine member states, three of which are African: Mauritius, Namibia, and Somalia. This follows a decade of mobilising and organising from a range of actors, including labour unions, women’s rights organisations and civil society organisations and activists.
ILO Convention 190 (or C190 for short) defines the world of work broadly to include all instances related to work, during and outside of work hours – whether it be women on their way to work, on breaks, during work trips, or anything related to seeking, carrying out, or leaving work. Domestic violence is equally covered: specifically, how it interacts and impacts women’s ability and access to work, but more importantly to an environment free of fear, violence and coercion. This is critical as the domestic sphere is also a place of work.
A right to work free of violence, fear and coercion
C190 has been celebrated for good reason. Not only is it the first time that international law has recognised the right of all people, everywhere, to work free of violence, fear and coercion, but it also reaffirms the right to dignified work. It broadly defines the world of work, as well as what it means when it refers to violence and harassment – ensuring that a wide range of acts and threats are taken into account. Crucially, it recognises that harm is not only physical, but also psychological, emotional, economic and social. What’s encouraging is that rather than stop there, C190 includes acts or threats that not only result in these harms, but also those that could potentially lead to them. Also, it specifically recognises gender-based violence and sexual harassment, acknowledging the disproportionate impact on women and in particular on women with disabilities.
While the task ahead is massive, the broad definitions and progressive provisions provide a very good starting point for governments to institute and/or reform the legal frameworks, policies and practices that will create an enabling environment for zero tolerance of violence and harassment, particularly for the most marginalised members of our communities.
Womankind, along with its partners, will be supporting Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda to ratify, domesticate and implement the provisions of C190, as part of the AWESOME programme, a 5-year advocacy programme aimed at strengthening women’s movements. While the three focus countries had supported the adoption of the convention, they are yet to ratify it.
The policy brief that has just been launched outlines the major provisions of C190 and its attendant Recommendation to give a broad overview of what C190 entails. It includes a case study of Namibia, the first African country (and the third globally) to have ratified C190 to provide a comparable example for Member States – a model to not necessarily replicate, but take lessons from and adapt accordingly. Womankind’s partners in the three focus countries stand ready to support government counterparts and implementing entities to take the necessary steps to ratify C190, but more importantly, to domesticate and implement the provisions for a safer world of work for their people. The policy brief is the first step of many that Womankind will embark on to support this process.
