Nigeria has ratified the International Labour Organisation Convention 190 other wise known as C190.
With the ratification, Nigeria becomes the fourth country in Africa and the eighth in the world to ratify the Convention.
Since 2019 when the Convention was signed by ILO Member countries including Nigeria, there has been series of sensitization programmes by different pressure groups urging the Nigerian government to ratify the Convention.
Addressing participants at a 2-day Regional Sensitization Workshop on ILO Convention 190 for Professional Officers in the three Northern Geo-Political Zones, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ms Kachollom Daju, said that President Muhammadu Buhari, has signed the Instrument of Ratification for the Convention.
She also said that the document “is set to be deposited with the Director- General of the International Labour Organisation by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.”
The Convention which seeks to eliminate Gender Based Violence and Harassment or GBVH, in the world of work was adopted by Member countries of the ILO at the 2019 International Labour Conference in Geneva Switzerland,which also coincided with the centenary celebration of the ILO as the oldest United Nations organisation.
Daju revealed that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has already inserted prohibitions on violence and harassment, including sexual harassment in the just concluded review exercise of the National Labour Bills adding that the ratification comes with an enormous responsibility and reporting obligation for Nigeria.
“It may interest you to note also, that the Ministry has already inserted prohibitions on violence and harassment in the just concluded review exercise of the National Labour Bill.
“This clearly indicates the government’s political will and commitment towards strengthening already existing institutional and legal frameworks.”
She called on labour Officers in the States to put their best foot forward as it is their duty to implement, intercept and intervene in all cases of violence and harassment, and other related unfair labour practices in all workplaces after the convention is domesticated.
“The Ministry’s Headquarters will also be depending on you to generate and gather data that will be used to develop a comprehensive First Report of Nigeria’s implementation of the Convention to the ILO when the time comes”, she said.
The Permanent Secretary appreciated the ILO Regional Office in Abuja, and the International Labour Office, Geneva for providing the technical support for the workshop, and for its support in ensuring that Nigeria’s Labour Administration System operates in line with international best practice.
Earlier, the Director, Productivity Measurement and Labour Standards, Mrs. Juliana Adebambo, said that in order to facilitate wide spread and acceptance of the Convention, the Ministry with technical support from the ILO had convened a series of preliminary activities across the six Geo-Political zones in the country and the 2-day workshop was first in the lineup.
With the adoption of C190 by Nigeria, the country would be expected to put in place necessary laws and policies prevent GBVH in the work place.
Gender Based Violence and Harassment in the world of work is seen as a global epidemic that needs to be tackled with the seriousness it deserves.
It is estimated that 35 percent of women around the world experienced Gender Based Violence and Harassment in their life, with many of them too afraid to speak out for fear of their lives.
World wide, according to reports, between forty and fifty percent of women experience unwanted sexual advances, physical contact or other forms of sexual harassment at work and over sixty percent female garment workers in Bangladesh have been intimated or threatened with violence at work among others.
With the adoption of the ILO Convention 190 by all of the over 180 ILO Member countries, this shows the acknowledgement by the world of the negative impact of the menace of Gender Based Violence and Harassment in the world of work.
This is the first time that a Convention and Recommendation on violence and harassment in the world of work have been adopted.
When the Convention was signed in 2019, the ILO said the Document will enter into force 12 months after two member States have ratified it. Though the Recommendation, which is not legally binding, provides guidelines on how the Convention could be applied.
According to the ILO, this is the first new Convention agreed by the International Labour Conference since 2011, when the Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189) was adopted.
