Call to end harassment in all its forms

LAHORE : Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF) Women Committee chairperson Dur e Shawar Siraj in a press statement on Saturday said ILO Convention 190 calls on all member states to eradicate violence and harassment in all its forms from the work place. PWF urged government of Pakistan to ratify the Convention and help build together with employers and workers and their organisations, a dignified, safe and healthy working life for all.

She added that together with Recommendation No. 206, Convention No. 190 recognises the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment and provides a common framework for action. It provides the first international definition of violence and harassment in the world of work, including gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH).

PWF said violence and harassment at work takes a range of forms and leads to physical, psychological, sexual and economic harm. Since the adoption of the Convention, the COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the issue, with many forms of work-related violence and harassment being reported across countries since the outbreak began, particularly against women and vulnerable groups.

Dur e Shawar said that PWF is actively building the capacity of their unions on the ILO C190 and training their young leaders to be the champions in leading the campaign for the ratification. The trade unions had also developed a Trade Union Position Paper on ILO Convention C190-Ratification by Pakistan, which explains their stance.

She added that the ILO Convention C190 and Recommendation 206, not only gave new impetus to these efforts of women’s rights activists and NGOs but also place the burden of controlling GBVH at workplace on the shoulders of trade unions.

It also expanded the workplace to the houses encompassing domestic violence to be better addressed by colleagues and trade unions with the help of employers. This way, not only the world of work and definition of harassment has expanded but the reach, role and importance of trade union seems to be acknowledged and expanded also.

She said that this credit of bringing trade unions on the central stage of addressing the important issue of GBVH goes to Ms Anna Lee Fos Tuvera in the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-AP) as she started engaging with trade unions in developing countries to steer this task forward and such is the case with Pakistan.

The position paper of trade unions had briefly discussed the gaps in the existing legal framework on violence and harassment at the workplace and enlighten that how the ratification of the ILO Convention (C190), which enshrines the right to dignity and respect, and the right to work free from violence and harassment would be beneficial in Pakistan.

A pilot redressal mechanism based on interviews with numerous stakeholders such as lawyers, NGOS, govt officials, labour experts, workers and employers is also provided in the position paper currently implemented in the six export-oriented industries in Pakistan.