ILO Convention

ILO Convention on Violence and Harassment

CARE aims to ensure that women are safe, respected, and valued in the world of work. Workplace violence and harassment is widespread around the world; no country and no industry is immune. Poor and marginalized women are especially vulnerable, often engaged in precarious jobs where they are particularly exposed to abuse and exploitation with little access to protection, and where they depend on their pay to survive and support their families. Worldwide, as many as one in three women experience violence and harassment; in sectors that employ predominantly women—such as garment manufacturing—rates of gender-based violence and harassment can be even higher.

We supported adoption of the ILO Convention on Violence and Harassment, a global law focused specifically on preventing violence and harassment in the world of work which was formally adopted at the International Labour Conference in June 2019.

Once included in national laws, these new standards will enable millions of women around the world to better speak out about abuse, encourage employers to take action and hold perpetrators to account.

Learn more about the Convention on CARE Insights

Our influence

We build alliances and support campaigns alongside our civil society and trade union allies in countries across the globe. In a number of countries across the world, we have evidence that our efforts have influenced support for the Convention among worker, government and employer representatives.

Learn how CARE’s engagement has helped influence government policy

Learn more about CARE’s engagement with the ILO Violence and Harassment Convention in Asia in the Made by Women Impact Report 2019 and 2020.

See the impact of CARE’s engagement with workers, employers and government representatives in Pakistan.

Ongoing advocacy

Global legislation was the first step. Now we’re continuing to work at national level to encourage ratification and promote alignment with the Convention within national laws.

CARE works in collaboration with campaign partners ActionAid, International Trade Union Confederation – Asia Pacific (ITUC-AP) and International Women’s Rights Action Watch – Asia Pacific (IWRAW-AP) to keep building momentum towards ratification in countries across Asia and beyond. Together partners raise awareness, share resources and raise the voices of women workers across Asia. The coalition brings together a wide range of national-level organizations to share strategies for encouraging their country to ratify the Convention and build relationships with others working towards the same goal.

Learn more at RatifyC190.org.