In June 2019, after years of campaigning by trade unions, civil society, and women’s organisations, the ILO Convention 190 (C190) and Recommendation 206 were passed. The C190 is the first-ever global treaty that addresses the often-tolerated violence and harassment at work.

The adoption of the ILO Convention is great news for workers, especially women, who have been constantly exposed to violence and harassment almost everywhere. However, this is just the first step. To ensure that the rights of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment are realised at the national and grassroots levels, the ILO member-states must ratify C190. By doing so, they commit themselves to applying the provisions of C190 to national laws and practices and reporting its application regularly.

Only Fiji has ratified C190 in Asia and the Pacific region. 

This is why we reinforce our campaign to call on governments in Asia and the Pacific to ratify C190 immediately!‍

Our #RatifyC190 campaign

The ITUC-Asia Pacific has been supporting its affiliates in their initiatives to push for the ratification of C190. Members of the ITUC-Asia Pacific Women's Committee take the lead in activating a robust regional #RatifyC190 campaign. More than anyone, women workers themselves know what it is like to suffer from violence and harassment in the world of work. Thus, the ITUC-Asia Pacific ensures the inclusion of their voices and demands in the campaign.

ITUC-Asia Pacific utilises various forms of materials to engage more women workers in the #RatifyC190 and to express trade unions' messages and demands on eliminating violence and harassment at work.

Moreover, the ITUC-Asia Pacific formed a coalition with ActionAid International, CARE, and International Women’s Rights Action Watch-Asia Pacific to build a broader constituency that campaigns and pushes for the ratification of C190 across Asia-Pacific.

As a coalition, we:

• engage and lobby with governments to urge them to #RatifyC190;
• organise events, webinars, fora and other activities on eliminating violence and harassment at work;
• raise awareness on C190 online and offline;
• develop and share resources and advocacy materials that workers can use to build their knowledge on C190 and strengthen their capacity to push for the C190 ratification; and
• ​train workers on how to negotiate for their protection from and prevention of violence and harassment at the workplace.
  ‍

Learn more about the work of our #RatifyC190 Coalition and how you can take part in the campaign. Visit ratifyc190.org.