The General Conference of the International Labour Organization,
Having been convened at Geneva by the Governing Body of the International Labour Office,
and having met in its 108th (Centenary) Session on 10 June 2019, and
Recalling that the Declaration of Philadelphia affirms that all human beings, irrespective
of race, creed or sex, have the right to pursue both their material well-being and
their spiritual development in conditions of freedom and dignity, of economic security
and equal opportunity, and
Reaffirming the relevance of the fundamental Conventions of the International Labour
Organization, and
Recalling other relevant international instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers
and Members of Their Families, and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and
Recognizing the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment,
including gender-based violence and harassment, and
Recognizing that violence and harassment in the world of work can constitute a human
rights violation or abuse, and that violence and harassment is a threat to equal opportunities,
is unacceptable and incompatible with decent work, and
Recognizing the importance of a work culture based on mutual respect and dignity of
the human being to prevent violence and harassment, and
Recalling that Members have an important responsibility to promote a general environment
of zero tolerance to violence and harassment in order to facilitate the prevention
of such behaviours and practices, and that all actors in the world of work must refrain
from, prevent and address violence and harassment, and
Acknowledging that violence and harassment in the world of work affects a person’s
psychological, physical and sexual health, dignity, and family and social environment,
and
Recognizing that violence and harassment also affects the quality of public and private
services, and may prevent persons, particularly women, from accessing, and remaining
and advancing in the labour market, and
Noting that violence and harassment is incompatible with the promotion of sustainable
enterprises and impacts negatively on the organization of work, workplace relations,
worker engagement, enterprise reputation, and productivity, and
Acknowledging that gender-based violence and harassment disproportionately affects
women and girls, and recognizing that an inclusive, integrated and gender-responsive
approach, which tackles underlying causes and risk factors, including gender stereotypes,
multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, and unequal gender-based power
relations, is essential to ending violence and harassment in the world of work, and
Noting that domestic violence can affect employment, productivity and health and safety,
and that governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations and labour market institutions
can help, as part of other measures, to recognize, respond to and address the impacts
of domestic violence, and
Having decided upon the adoption of certain proposals concerning violence and harassment
in the world of work, which is the fifth item on the agenda of the session, and
Having determined that these proposals shall take the form of an international Convention,
