Brussels, 20 November 2018 (ITUC OnLine): The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) are calling on governments and employers to stop playing games with working women's lives and back a strong and inclusive international labour standard on violence and harassment in the world of work.

The call comes on the UN's International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which takes place on 25 November every year.

"We know that some EU governments are looking to water down text that was agreed this year" said Montserrat Mir, Confederal Secretary of the ETUC. "We hope they will change course. With support from Governments, violence against women in the world of work, can be wiped out by employers, unions and union members.

"An ILO Convention could be put into EU and national law and require all workplaces to have procedures for dealing with violence and harassment, give the victims clearly stated rights and put in place sanctions against perpetrators."
"Violence and harassment costs lives and livelihoods. It affects millions of women and their families" said Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the ITUC. "Next year, the ILO has the opportunity to take a huge step towards a world of work free from violence and harassment. We are calling on governments and employers to join us in aiming high".

The ETUC supports the International Trade Union Confederation which is campaigning for an ILO Convention to stop gender-based violence in the world of work to be adopted next year – during the centenary year of the ILO.