Gender-based violence at the workplace Gender-based violence in the workplace Gender-based violence is one of the most widespread human rights violations in the world. It is aimed primarily at women and sexual minorities. The perpetrators are usually men. Gender-based violence reflects unequal power relations between women and men. Depending on the country, 60 to 90 percent of workers are women when it comes to sewing clothes. Men mainly work in supervisory and managerial positions, they give instructions, exert pressure and many do not shy away from violent behavior. Therefore, companies that produce in these countries must pay particular attention to ensuring that their suppliers do not tolerate violence in the workplace and take preventive measures. The women who sew clothing for the European market in the garment factories of Bangladesh, India, Cambodia, Myanmar, Ethiopia and many other countries are very young, most between the ages of 16 and 28. Many have only a low level of education and have migrated from the villages to the cities to earn money there. They are hired because they are considered nimble and docile. Stitching is done in the chord, again and again the same work step. There are hardly any breaks, the shifts last up to 19 hours. Pregnant women and mothers are often forced to quit. Due to the widespread hierarchies in the production facilities, many women, in addition to verbal violence by superiors, also experience physical violence again and again. This ranges from extensive body searches to sexual abuse. As a result, women can develop emotional and stress-related illnesses and suffer physical and mental injuries that can also lead to death. Sexualized violence is not only a means to pass on the increasing production pressure, but also takes place outside this context as an expression of power differences, which is linked to gender roles. Only 15% of union leaders worldwide are womenThe women often have to go home in the dark, they are not safe here either. New ILO Convention against Gender-Based Violence in the Workplace On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the member states adopted the new International Convention No. 190 against Violence and Harassment in the World of Work by an overwhelming majority at the end of June 2019. This legally binding international treaty, which was supplemented by a recommendation for concrete implementation by the member states, is a historic victory for workers and their representatives: The adoption of the Convention is an important step, especially for working women, which finally closes a gap in protection for millions of workers suffering from violence and harassment in the workplace. In doing so, the Convention and the Supplementary Recommendation explicitly take into account gender-based violence in the workplace, which mainly affects women and girls. The Convention stresses the need to address the root causes of gender-based violence (gender stereotypes, discrimination, gender inequality of power) in order to combat violence in the workplace. So far, there has been no law at international level that could have served as a basis for such measures. The adopted Convention provides for a wide range of remedial measures against violence and harassment, such as complaint mechanisms and far-reaching support measures for victims. With the Convention, member states now have a strong instrument to transpose ILO Convention No. 190 into their respective national legislation to prevent violence and harassment in the world of work, protect workers, especially women, and establish legal remedies for victims. However, this is only the beginning. The next step is to put this protection into practice, including by purchasing companies. FEMNET is committed to this together with partner organisations. We require companies to: Acting in accordance with the Declaration of Principles on Respect for Human Rights at Work Recognise human rights at work, in particular the core labour standards of the International Labour Organisation and the right to subsistence wages Embedding these standards in corporate policy along the entire supply chain – Publish implementation strategy with a timeline Analyze risks and impacts Work with trade unions and women-led NGOs to identify violence and discrimination against women (human rights due diligence) Gender-based violence in the workplace and on the way to work, as well as the underlying patriarchal structure, and integrate this into the risk analysis Preventing gender-based violence Carry out awareness training for mostly male superiors, prohibit pregnancy tests, do not pay less for migrant women, provide legally prescribed childcare Include women-led trade unions and non-governmental organisations in factory inspections (social audits) Review the effectiveness of these measures Create transparency Disclosure of suppliers in all production countries Publish the main social audit results back
