International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

“Leaving no-one behind means ending all forms of violence and harassment against women”

"With notable exceptions, far too little has been done for far too long to end the culture of impunity, to end the culture of silence," says ILO Director-General Guy Ryder in a statement issued on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Statement | 25 November 2017
© S. Gombert / Cultura Creative
The recent outpouring from global campaigns is a sobering reminder that millions of women face violence and harassment in their working lives – when they pick up their pay cheques, try to advance their careers or just try to feed their families.

Today, we must focus on what the world of work can, and must, do to end violence and harassment against all workers. With notable exceptions, far too little has been done for far too long to end the culture of impunity, to end the culture of silence.

It is time to send a clear message that violence and harassment is unacceptable, that it is not a normal part of working life."

Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General
It is time to send a clear message that violence and harassment is unacceptable, that it is not a normal part of working life. It is essential that we foster workplace cultures that support equality and non-discrimination. It is essential that we provide workers with a safe space to voice their concerns and to take an active part in finding solutions.

No group of workers should be left behind in the move to end violence and harassment. We must reach out to farm and factory workers, migrant and domestic workers, to all those hidden and kept behind locked doors. In going forward, we recall, too, that women are not a homogenous group, and we must make visible the experiences of women with disabilities, lesbian, bisexual and trans women, and women living with HIV.

Prevention is key, as well as effective measures to provide support and services to victims. Ministries, policymakers, employers and workers and their organizations, among others all have a role to play.

Set against this background, the ILO is developing an international framework to end violence and harassment in the world of work. The discussion will take place at the ILO’s International Labour Conference in June 2018. It is a process that must be informed by real life experiences with violence and harassment, and by effective approaches to address it.

Leaving no-one behind means ending all forms of violence and harassment against women. The world of work must be at the heart of such efforts, and the ILO is ready to do its part.