The ITUC defends trade unionists whenever their fundamental human rights are violated as a result of their trade union activities. It also takes action against other labour rights violations, and other violations of human rights especially where these affect working people.

 Scores of trade unionists are killed each year due to their union activities.
 Several thousands more are imprisoned, beaten in demonstrations, tortured by security forces or others, and often sentenced to long prison terms.
 Each year, tens of thousands of workers lose their jobs merely for attempting to organise a trade union.
 Throughout the world, millions of workers, often women and children, are forced to work against their will. The ITUC fights against forced labour wherever it occurs.
 In many countries, workers are discriminated against for political, ethnic, religious or other reasons. The ITUC confronts governments and employers that are responsible for such situations.

The ITUC’s work in this area includes research and documentation of national labour laws and practices, international trade union solidarity actions to support those whose rights are under attack, publicising violations to bring public pressure on those responsible, putting pressure on governments and employers which violate workers’ rights and by taking cases to the international judicial mechanisms of the ILO and also to United Nations human rights bodies.

<links> http://www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/index.htm United Nations link to http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/)