Combating Violence at Work, A Historic Moment

Isabella Orfano, Women’s Rights Expert, ActionAid Italy

Why the ILO Convention 190 is a milestone in the fight against violence

The unanimous ratification by the Italian Senate of the ILO Convention no. 190 concerning the elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work is excellent news for Italy, which is one of the very first signatories of a new international tool that recognises the right to a world of work free from violence and harassment.

The Convention recognises that violence and harassment are incompatible with decent work and respect for fundamental human rights, highlighting the impacts on a person’s psychological, physical and sexual health, as well as on their family and social environment. It also notes that such acts are incompatible with the promotion of sustainable enterprises and have a negative impact on the organisation of work, workplace relationships, worker engagement, enterprise reputation and productivity.

An innovative, winning approach

The approach promoted is highly innovative: it is inclusive, integrated, and gender-responsive, in order to tackle underlying causes and risk factors, including gender stereotypes, multiple forms of discrimination, and unequal gender-based power relations.

In this perspective, preventing violence and harassment is crucial.

Indeed, the State and employers have an obligation to assert a work culture based on mutual respect and human dignity, and to promote a general environment of zero tolerance to violent and harassing behaviours and practices.

How? Through not only ad hoc laws, regulations and resources, but also specific tools, guidance, education and training, and measures to raise awareness in the workplace, as well as mechanisms for making a complaint and for compensating victims.

A “revolutionary” framework and content

The ILO Convention 190 stands out, in particular, for four elements, thanks to the lobbying and advocacy work done, as the document was being drafted and discussed, by many parties, including ActionAid, which promoted a global campaign to support the ratification.

Firstly, it acknowledges that gender-based violence and harassment disproportionately affect women and girls. Secondly, it notes that domestic violence can affect the employment, health, and safety of those affected. Thirdly, it establishes a very broad scope of application, i.e. all sectors, whether private and public, both in the formal and informal economy, and whether in urban or rural areas, regardless of the contractual status of workers. Lastly, it applies to cases of harassment and violence that occur at work (the workplace), in connection with work (places for breaks, meals, changing rooms, bathrooms, payment offices, employer-provided accommodation) or arising from work (during work-related trips and travel, when commuting to and from work, during training or work-related events).

In light of its clearly innovative and decisive scope, it is more important than ever that the Convention, which will come into effect next June, is ratified as quickly as possible by as many countries as possible.

Worrying Italian data

With Italy’s ratification of the Convention, the country can now equip itself with an additional tool to prevent and combat gender-based violence, extending its reach to the world of work, where the reported cases of violence and harassment are significant.

The available data is cause for concern and it represents just the tip of the iceberg. Indeed, according to ISTAT (2018), 1,404,000 women have experienced physical harassment or sexual blackmail in the workplace during their working life. In 32.4% of cases, these offences were committed on a daily basis, 17.4% on a weekly basis, and 29.4% on a monthly basis.

This alarming picture is in line with the data that we, at ActionAid, collect through projects promoting the socio-economic empowerment of Italian and foreign women who are employed in different sectors. The Cambia Terra project run in Basilicata, Calabria and Puglia, for example, exposed widespread and structural forms of blackmail and violence against women employed in agriculture to which a prompt response must be given.

An opportunity not to be missed

We, at ActionAid, have been working for years to promote and protect the right of women to live without violence, asking institutions and all parties involved in preventing, protecting and combating violence to play their role in an integrated, coordinated, and timely manner.

With this in mind, we therefore believe that the ratification of the ILO Convention 190 is a great opportunity for Italy to strengthen its anti-violence policies and system, allowing every female worker who suffers from violence to have access to support measures.

An opportunity not to be missed, then, to promote a culture of gender respect in public and private spaces, at home and in the workplace.