Protecting workers from gender-based violence and harassment in Europe

A comparative analysis of ILO Convention 190, Istanbul Convention, Social Partners Framework Autonomous Agreement - instruments in Europe that, to differing degrees, cover the area of violence and harassment at work.

In June 2019, the ILO adopted the Convention 190 concerning the elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work. Unions have continuously called for an instrument of this nature, and we welcome the adoption of this Convention.

However, when it comes to Europe, there are also other instruments that, to differing degrees, cover the area of violence and harassment at work. Therefore, we developed this comparison to provide our affiliates with a useful tool to evaluate the ILO Convention n.190, in order to effectively advocate for its ratification by their governments, while they keep pushing for the European Union to ratify the Istanbul Convention.

The methodology we decided to apply is a simple comparison between the ILO Convention and other two key instruments in Europe, namely the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention (2011) and the Social Partner Autonomous Framework Agreement on Harassment and Violence at work (2007)1. This would allow us to identify potential overlaps and differences, and therefore understand why it is so significant to endorse the Conventions’ ratification. In Annex I, it is possible to find a brief table that summarises the main points of the three documents.

See the brief presentation of the report:

Africa: Current Law and Practice concerning violence and harassment in the world of work

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Worldwide, the figures for GBV are very high. In the domestic sphere, 1 in 5 women and girls between the ages of 15 – 49 have reported experiencing physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner within a 12-month period.

Regional Study on Legislation and Practices on Violence and Harassment in the World of Work

Violence and harassment in the world of work are fundamental pillars on which the capitalist mode of production is built; the domination of the possessors over the dispossessed cannot be guaranteed without the exercise of the latter's power over the latter, often practiced through violence and harassment at work.