ILO, partners outline plan aimed to eliminate workplace violence, harassment

AMMAN — The International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Jordan together with national partners approved a private sector engagement plan, encouraging employers to implement effective and comprehensive policies against workplace violence and harassment.

“It is the right of all people to work in a harassment and violence free work environment,” said Reem Aslan, gender technical specialist, ILO Jordan Decent Work for Women Programme.

Furthermore, Aslan told The Jordan Times on Sunday that as part of celebration for the second anniversary of the adoption of ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment in the world of work, ILO in Jordan and its partners during a meeting on Wednesday, defined the steps to be taken to provide employers with instruments and standards aimed to eliminate workplace violence and harassment.

Marking an “important” milestone in the push for a safer workplace, the plan to be taken is based on a proposed “National Strategy for the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work”, launched by the ILO and its partners, including the Jordanian National Committee for Women (JNCW) and the General Federation of Jordanian Trade Unions (GFJTU). 

The plan is endorsed by more than 50 stakeholders, representing workers, employers and civil society organisations.

“Doing social dialogue is among ILO’s main pillars, in order to make sure that policies are efficiently implemented,” according to Aslan.

“Working groups will be formed to follow up on strategy implementation, prioritising certain sectors that will be announced at a later stage,” Aslan stated in a statement made available to The Jordan Times.

Violence and harassment at work takes a range of forms and leads to physical, psychological, sexual and economic harm, according to the ILO website.

According to a JNCW research study, 41 per cent of workers have been subjected to some form of work-based violence and harassment.

In a statement made available to The Jordan Times, JNCW Secretary General, Salma Nims, warned that the absence of effective solutions to violence and harassment leads to pushing women out of the workplace.

She pointed out that “policies against violence and harassment are the foundation for devising plans and adopting instruments that can be implemented and followed up”.

A study conducted by the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) showed that 75.3 per cent of women are exposed to workplace harassment.