Human Rights Day: Stand for Filipino workers’ rights

This Human Rights Day, 10 December, the global union movement’s focus is on the Philippines where there is a systematic campaign against labour and human rights defenders.

President Duterte has overseen a brutal reign of terror, with countless people indiscriminately killed and detained, including many trade unionists, since beginning his “war on drugs” in 2016.

Sharan Burrow, ITUC general secretary, said: “There must be an immediate end to violence in the Philippines and thorough investigation into the crimes committed.

“This government has failed to protect its citizens, has violated basic human and unions rights, has allowed the killings of union activists to continue with impunity.

“As a first step, it must engage with the unions to negotiate a time-bound plan of action and accept a high-level tripartite mission of the ILO without delay to enforce the conclusions of the 2019 ILO Committee on the Application of Standards. But ultimately, we want to see this regime changed. We want to see a government that stands up for democratic rights and freedoms.”

Join the campaign