Whilst both women and men experience violence and harassment in the world of work, unequal status and power relations in society and at work often result in women being far more exposed to violence and harassment. Violence against women creates and prolongs inequality, affecting the well-being of current and future generations. Violence and the threat of it deprives women of their basic human rights.
There is currently no internationally agreed law that deals with the many different forms of gender-based violence in the workplace!
Violence in the #health sector constitutes at least 25% of all violence at work. Support an @ILO Convention #StopGBVatWorkhttps://t.co/LkEnkaT5Fupic.twitter.com/8f5gVLWfvA
— Public Services International (@PSIglobalunion) April 25, 2018
Violence in the #health sector constitutes at least 25% of all violence at work. Support an @ILO Convention #StopGBVatWorkhttps://t.co/LkEnkaT5Fupic.twitter.com/8f5gVLWfvA
— Public Services International (@PSIglobalunion) April 25, 2018
An ILO Convention and Recommendationwould send a strong message that violence is NOT part of the job. It would help to give workers a voice to stand up against gender-based violence, and negotiate collective agreements that address GBV.
Ending violence against women is a top-priority for PSI. Trade union leaders, specifically male participants, at PSI's Congress in November, pledged to end violence against women including actively supporting campaigns against gender violence and to bring about gender equality in the home, workplace, community, economy and all institutions including the union.
It is not too late to sign the pledge!
PSI is pleased to present the updated report entitled “Tackling Violence in the Health Sector - A Trade Union Response”, a consolidated research effort first released in 2016. The 2018 updated version of the study integrates the latest achievements of our affiliated unions in the health sector.
Globally, violence in the health and social care sector is widespread and constitutes at least 25% of all violence at work. Studies as well as anecdotal evidence from health care workers in PSI’s global family demonstrate vividly that while both men and women in the sector suffer from all forms of violence, the power relations in society that see women as second-class citizens, translate to the reality that women health care workers are especially targeted.
PSI fully supports the ITUC campaign for this new international labour standard and invites all affiliated unions to join the campaign. Your mobilising, organising and lobbying is critical to build and ensure governments’ support for an ILO Convention and a Recommendation at the ILO Conference in June 2018.
For more information :
PSI Report - "Tackling violence in the Health Sector - A Trade Union Response":
- Executive Summary: Read online - Download PDF
- Full report:Read online - Download PDF
Case studies on violence at work:
- Congo (DRC):Solidarité Syndicale des Infirmiers du Congo (SOLSICO) - (Download PDF)
Video: Interviews SOLSICO (DRC) activists in health care (on YouTube) – in French, subtitled in English - Argentina:Asociación Sindical de Profesionales de Salud de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CICOP) - (Download PDF)
Video: Workshop on Violence in the Workplace (on YouTube) – in Spanish, subtitled in English - Philippines:Alliance of Filipino Workers (AFW) - (Download PDF)
- Pakistan: All Sindh Lady Health Workers and Employees Association (ASLHWEA) - (Download PDF)
Also see:
- ILO, ICN, WHO, PSI Framework Guidelines: Framework guidelines for addressing workplace violence in the health sector available for download in English - French - Russian - Spanish
- ILO: Towards a standard against violence and harassment in the world of work
- Governing Body of the ILO: Outcome of the Meeting of Experts on Violence against Women and Men in the World of Work
- ACTRAV Agora“The threat of physical and psychosocial violence and harassment in digitalized work" (live streaming)
- ILO Report V(I): Ending violence and harassment against women and men in the world of work
- ILO Report V(II): Ending violence and harassment in the world of work
- PSI memberspledge to #EndVaw
- Sign the pledge
- Ending violence against women PSI website
