The NASUWT is giving its full support to an international campaign to advance women’s rights by ending gender-based violence in the world of work.
The Global 16 Days Campaign is calling on governments around the world, including the British Government to ratify a new set of International Labour Organisation (ILO) instruments on ending violence and harassment at work.
The ILO Convention 190 calls on governments to ensure the right to equality and non-discrimination “for women workers and other persons belonging to one or more vulnerable groups or groups in situations of vulnerability that are disproportionately affected by violence and harassment in the world of work”.
Although all workers are potentially at risk the ILO says there is a need to implement specific measures to protect those working in education, health, emergency services, social services, transport and hospitality.
In addition to these economic sectors, the most significant impact of violence and harassment falls on marginalised and undocumented women workers, women in conflict and those in informal work.
Women are also affected depending on their class, ethnicity, caste, sexual orientation, religion, age, nationality and age.
The Global 16 Days Campaign aims to mobilise women to take action across movements and promote new alliances.
The campaign wants to see a wave of governmental ratifications of ILO C190 and believes that trade unions and employers have a vital role to play in ensuring the measures are implemented.
The campaign spans the 16-day period between International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (November 25) and International Human Rights Day (December 10) to make the symbolic statement that violence against women is a violation of human rights.
This period also highlights other significant dates including November 29, International Women Human Rights Defenders Day, December 1, World AIDS Day, and December 6, which marks the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre.
The NASUWT is continuing to lobby the UK Government to ratify the ILO Convention and its recommendations in full.
The Union fully supports the United Nation’s strong call for all governments to ratify this important international labour standard and protecting all workers from violence and harassment in the workplace.
Adoption of the ILO Convention and Global 16 Days Campaign is essential to the Principles of the NASUWT Gender Equality Challenge, adopted in 2016, for addressing gender based violence.
The NASUWT also fully supports the TUC's campaign for effective legislation on tackling third party abuse and harassment.
#RatifyILO190
