CNV Internationaal pushes for global standards on SDG 5

On the occasion of World Day for Decent Work CNV Internationaal organised a broad stakeholder meeting and a working session on Gender Based Violence on the work floor. The fundamental importance of ending Gender Based Violence has been recognised and enshrined in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Representatives of trade unions, the Dutch government, private sector, knowledge institutes and civil society organisations were invited to join the debate about what would be the most effective way to eliminate Gender Based Violence on the work floor.

The meeting kicked off with an introduction on the theme by ITUC gender specialist Marieke Koning. CNV Internationaal and WO=MEN gender platform then invited the participating stakeholders to exchange and identify elements to develop a mutual strategy to create broad support for an ILO convention on the elimination of Gender Based Violence at the work floor.

According to a study CNV Internationaal undertook in four countries on four continents into violence on the work floor, gender based violence continues to be one of the most harrowing forms of abuse of human rights where labor is concerned. Victims of this violence are not inclined to report it to the authorities often because of the fear of retribution.

Many countries have adopted laws against this specific form of violence, but in practice these are often insufficient. There is, however, no international standard that could be the foundation for better regulations. Setting an international standard would add significant momentum to the global push to end gender-based violence at work and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 5 on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.

This is why the ILO Governing Body decided in November 2015 to put a standard setting item on the agenda of the 2018 International Labour Conference (ILC), under the name of ’Violence against women and men in the world of work’. CNV Internationaal, together with trade union partner organisations want to focus on this topic in the run-up to the 2018 ILC.