The Pan Pacific South and East Asia Women’s Association (PPSEAWA) supports ratification of ILO Convention no. 190 (C190), the first international treaty to recognize the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment, including gender-based violence.
C190 was adopted in June 2019 at conference of the International Labor Organization (ILO). PPSEAWA has participated in the ratification campaign organized by the United Nations NGO Coalition to End Violence and Harassment in the World of Work. Under the leadership of chairperson Anita Thomas, the NGO Coalition obtained the endorsement of 1155 NGOs– including PPSEAWA – encouraging Member States to ratify C190. By signing this letter, PPSEAWA recognizes everyone’s right to decent work – to safety, dignity and respect at work.
The Convention came into force this summer, on June 25, 2021. So far, it has been ratified by only eight countries: Uruguay, Fiji, Namibia, Argentina, Somalia, Ecuador, Mauritius, and Greece. Civil society organizations like PPSEAWA can press their governments to ratify C190, which sets out specific measures that can be taken including leave for victims, flexible work arrangements, temporary protection against dismissal, and inclusion of domestic violence in workplace risk assessments. We also support Recommendation No. 206, which asks governments to collect and share disaggregated data on work practices for better-informed policy formation.