President Cyril Ramaphosa will this evening participate in a national dialogue of the International Labour Organisation Convention on combating violence and harassment in the world of work.
The dialogue, in the form of a webinar, will focus on the ILO Convention no. 190 on Combating Violence and Harassment in the World of Work, and coincides with the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign, observed from 25 November to 10 December 2020.
President Ramaphosa will be in dialogue with panellists from labour, business and community activists to galvanise and strengthen decisive national action towards addressing violence, harassment and gender-based violence in the world of work, through facilitating strengthened accountability and action by all sectors to make the workplace free of violence and harassment.
ILO Convention No. 190 was adopted at the 108th session of the International Labour Organisation conference last year. It contains a common framework to prevent and address violence and harassment, including GBV.
The convention places an obligation on governments, employers and workers’ organisations to ensure that violence and harassment is prevented and eliminated.
South Africa is currently rolling out the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, of which Outcome 5.2 specifically focuses on safe workplaces free of violence and the sexual harassment of women and the LGBTQIA+ community.
ILO Convention No. 190 recognises that addressing violence and harassment in the world of work, including gender-based violence, should focus on formal and informal workplaces, and provides a key instrument to take this agenda forward.
South Africa is in the process of ratifying the convention.
Sunday World
