At its 108th (Centenary) Session, the International Labour Conference adopted the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190) and its accompanying Recommendation (No. 206). In so doing, the International Labour Organization (ILO) acknowledged that violence and harassment is a major threat to the safety and health of workers and other persons in the world of work, and may constitute a human rights violation or abuse, incompatible with safe and decent work.

Violence and harassment is a difficult and yet interconnected concept broadly described in the Convention as a range of unacceptable behaviours, practices or threats ‘that aim at, result in, or are likely to result in physical, psychological, sexual or economic harm’ (Article 1.1). As early as 1981, the
Occupational Safety and Health Convention (No. 155) specified that ‘health’ indicated not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, but also ‘the physical and mental elements affecting health, which are directly related to safety and hygiene at work’ (Article 3(e)).

This report specifically focuses on how violence and harassment can be managed through occupational safety and health (OSH) measures. This includes through OSH regulatory frameworks, policies, programmes and enhanced OSH management systems (OSH-MS). (From the introduction). Record #6780




The publication of this joint UN Women-ILO Handbook
coincides with the unprecedented mobilization of millions of women, behind #MeToo and other movements,
in a global response to sexual harassment and sexual
assault in the world of work. Moreover, this handbook is
being published within the context of the International
Labour Organization (ILO) standard-setting process
which is working towards a new international standard or standards on ending violence and harassment
in the world of work. With the final discussion and
the possible adoption of an international Convention,
Recommendation or both, scheduled for the ILO’s
International Labour Conference in 2019, this process
follows many years of work by governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations.

The UN Women-ILO Handbook presents promising
practices – policies, strategies, campaigns, initiatives
and other actions – that provide helpful insights and
practical examples of how to tackle violence and
harassment against women in the world of work.
Taken together, they show that much progress is being made all around the world – although much more
work needs to be done – and that it is both possible
and critically important to transform gender relations
in the world of work in order to end violence and harassment against women.

This handbook benefited from the discussions at the UN Women and Care International Expert Group Meeting
on Violence and Harassment against Women in the World of Work, held in New York on 13 March 2018. (From the Introduction). Record #6780