The Nigerian Government is seeking local and international support to fine-tune the processes towards ratifying International Labour organisation’s convention 190 on abuse, Sexual harassment, and Gender-based Violence at workplace.
The Ministers of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige and Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen gave government’s position at a two-day stakeholders meeting on eliminating all forms of harassment in the work environment.
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Statistics from the world health organisation show that covid-19 lockdown and restrictions increased Gender-based Violence in homes.
As workers gradually return to work around the world, the ILO is making frantic efforts to ensure various governments ratify the C190 which seeks to eliminate sexual harassment and gender-based violence at the workplace.
Nigeria hopes to ratify this Convention soon, but seeks more awareness creation on the content of the document, as it vows to push for stronger Laws.
For the Nigerian worker, harassment has been an age-long occurrence that needs self-chastisement and stronger punitive measures to manage.
According to ILO’s convention 190, harassment at workplace includes but not limited to demanding sex for promotion and other benefits, denying the opposition sex space to perform its responsibilities which can lead to harassment and frustration.
(Editor-Abaje Usekwe)