Violence and Harassment in the World of Work: what to do?

Violence in the world of work is a threat to the dignity, security, health and well-being of everyone. It has an impact not only on workers and employers, but also on their families, communities, economies and society as a whole. Indeed, violence in the world of work strikes at the heart of the efforts of the International Labour Organization (ILO) to promote the right of all human beings "to pursue both their material well-being and their spiritual development in conditions of freedom and dignity, of economic security and equal opportunity" (Declaration of Philadelphia), II(a), 1944).

In 2015, the ILO highlighted the issue of violence during the 104th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC), both in the resolution concerning the recurrent discussion on social protection (labour protection), and in Recommendation No. 204. This issue is, likewise, central to the ILO's centenary initiative on women at work. The adoption of a new international instrument to protect women and men workers from violence and harassment is now on the agenda for discussion of the 2019 International Labour Conference.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is described as the most systematic and widespread human rights violation in the world. Such violence is exceptionally dehumanizing, pervasive and oppressive, and both reflects and reinforces inequalities between women and men.  Gender-based violence was first addressed in 1979 at a global level under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Article 11 requires that: “take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against woman in the field of employment”. The issue today a global level priority: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls for the achievement of full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, the reduction of inequalities and the elimination of “all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres” (Target 8.5, Goal 10 and Target 5.2).   This includes tackling gender-based violence and disseminating tools to prevent and eliminate sexual harassment in the world of work.

Questions addressed in the course will include:

• What is “violence” in the world of work?
• What are the rights-based and business cases for tackling violence in the world of work?
• What is “gender-based violence”?
• What are the root causes? What are the risk factors for both victims as well as perpetrators of such violence?
• Strategies, good practices and practical tools that exist to address this problem within the workplace and beyond?
• Gender-based violence,  HIV and AIDS and other intersectional dimensions;

Experts will share innovative initiatives and instruments, including lessons learned in overcoming challenges. 

By the end of the workshop participants will be able to:

• Identify entry points for addressing violence in the world of work,  from a gender perspective;
• Develop arguments to promote violence-free workplaces;
• Increase women workers’ voice and encourage men as advocates to stop such violence;
• Use selected methodologies to help workers, managers and supervisors reduce sexual harassment in the workplace;
• Design strategies to prevent and address GBV at work through multi-stakeholder partnership, gender-sensitive social dialogue, collective bargaining and other sensitization and awareness-raising actions;
• Define the key steps for establishing a company level sexual harassment policy.

Training methods will include presentations by ILO and Turin Centre specialists and from invited external lecturers. They will also include individual and group learning activities and case studies under the guidance of highly qualified specialists in thematic fields, gender issues and learning methodology. Participants and facilitators will work in a highly participatory environment.  Country/thematic group work, brainstorming and discussions will complement presentations, with a view to stimulating participants’ ability to link concepts and data to their own work and life experience.

Policy-makers, national and local public services staff involved in human resource management and gender equality; civil society representatives interested in doing advocacy work and raising awareness of violence against women in the world of work; governments’, employers' and workers' representatives wishing to ensure a safe working environment for men and women.

The course will be delivered in English and French