News Center-ILO Turkey Office and Social Partners, Civil Society, Private Sector Gathered for a Working Life in Compliance with ILO Convention No. 190 for the Prevention of Violence and Harassment in Work Life. Social partners, civil society and private sector, which came together in the event organized by the International Labor Organization (ILO) Turkey Office with the aim of preventing violence in the working life, aimed to prevent violence and harassment in the working life, including violence against women. The ILO Turkey Office gave the message that the ILO Convention should be ratified, on 30 November 2022 in Ankara, in order to prevent violence and harassment in the working life, including violence against women, on the implementation of the ILO Convention on Violence and Harassment No. organized a meeting with wide participation, in which the community came together. “Preventing Violence Against Women at Work – II. In the event titled “Experience Sharing Forum”, the work carried out by the ILO Turkey Office and relevant social partners, civil society and private sector representatives since the Convention was adopted in 2019 was discussed. Speakers at the event highlighted the importance and guiding nature of the ILO Convention No. 190 in preventing violence against women and in working life, and underlined the importance of ratifying and implementing the Convention. Speaking at the meeting, ILO Turkey Director Numan Özcan stated that violence and harassment is a major problem for women working in all jobs, formal or unregistered, in every country, and stated that precarious working conditions and informal work put women at greater risk of violence and harassment. expressed.
“One-Third of Women Experience Physical, Psychological or Gender Violence at Some Stage in Their Lives” “Violence and harassment in the workplace is one of the biggest barriers to women's access to, retention and promotion to work life. In this sense, the strong emphasis of C190 that gender-based discrimination will not be tolerated in working life is very important,” said Özcan, “One-third of women experience some form of physical, psychological or gender violence at some point in their lives. However, only 40% of women exposed to violence can report or receive support. Collaboration between the actors of the working life is very important for the solution of such a universal and settled problem.” Özcan said, “Since the contract was approved in 2019, we have been following or working together on your efforts to prevent violence and harassment in the working life of our stakeholders that have shaped the working life in Turkey.” “The Work done by the Social Partners, Private Sector and Civil Society While the Contract Was Not Approved is Invaluable. “Every day, we come across articles of collective bargaining agreements, workplace or union policy documents, trainings, awareness studies and publications that have been accepted in line with a contract that has not yet been ratified. Each of these activities carried out by the social partners, private sector and civil society is very valuable and very important for the prevention of violence and harassment in working life.
Numan Özcan: “With Convention No. 190, we now have a powerful tool to prevent violence and harassment in working life. The contract provides a comprehensive tool that can be applied in all types of formal and informal working relationships, in all sectors, for all employees, and beyond physical spaces. Now is the time to act with this tool.”
“A Multi-Stakeholder Process That Takes Time to Improve Labor Standards”
Speaking at the meeting, Swedish Ankara Ambassador Staffan Herrström said that ILO's Convention No. 190 is one of the latest international standards adopted for the promotion of gender equality; He stated that workers' organizations, trade unions and trade union confederations have taken important steps towards the implementation of this comprehensive and historical Convention.
“In this context, while the Convention has not been ratified yet, policy documents of zero tolerance to violence are accepted, articles compatible with ILO Convention No. 190 are included in collective bargaining agreements, which I must state is extremely important for working life in Turkey. In addition to workers' organisations, the private sector is also strengthening its efforts to prevent violence against women in the workplace within the framework of ILO Convention 190.”
Staffan Herrström “Improving labor standards is a multi-stakeholder process that takes time. However, this process also results in the participation of more women in the labor market, and for the whole society, the safety of women and men, that is, of all employees, social and social welfare.
