Universal Periodic Review

Ratify the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190) of the International Labour Organization

Proponent:

Remarks to progress by Liga (last modified Dec 31, 2024):

In 2019, the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention on the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work was adopted at the International Labour Conference (Resolution Austria 2024). This Convention provides a common framework aimed at preventing, eliminating and remedying violence and harassment, including gender-based incidents in the world of work. It marks the first time in international law that the right of all to a world of work free from violence and harassment is explicitly recognised. It not only recognises the right, but also the obligation to respect, promote and realise this right. The Convention also defines the concept of violence and harassment in the world of work at international level. Austria was actively involved in the development of Convention 190, but the country has not yet ratified the convention. Although the Convention has been in place since 2019, the Austrian government, in particular the Family and Women’s Affairs and Labour and Social Affairs ministries, has not yet seen the need for rapid implementation. This is despite the fact that current figures from 2022 show that the global rate of those affected remains high. The women’s rights organisation WIDE and its 21 member organisations are vehemently calling for the ratification of ILO Convention 190 and are campaigning for European countries, including Austria, to take a pioneering role in this process. The convention, which for the first time recognises the right of all people to a working environment free from violence and harassment, has been in force since 25 June 2021.   The Austrian federal government’s responses to corresponding enquiries indicate that there are still concerns and discussions within the EU. An opinion from the Council Legal Service is still pending, and ratification appears to have been delayed due to legal uncertainties and possible effects on other areas (see reply letter from Federal Minister Martin Kocher (Federal Ministry of Labour) and Federal Minister Susanne Raab (Federal Chancellery, Women) on ILO-C190 (2 May 2022)): https://wide-netzwerk.at/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Antwort-BM-Kocher-und-BM-Raab-ILO-190.pdf). WIDE and 21 other member organisations emphasise the urgency of ratifying and implementing Convention 190 in order to effectively combat violence and harassment in the world of work, especially gender-specific assaults. It is pointed out that Austria, despite its active participation in the drafting of the convention, is not yet one of the ratifying states (see statement: https://wide-netzwerk.at/recht-auf-arbeit-frei-von-belaestigung-und-gewalt/).