ZGC Launches Elimination Of GBV In The Workplace

“Violence and harassment undermines the attainment of decent work and affects not only social relationships in the workplace, but also negatively impacts productivity and the personal trajectory of the victim’s career.

“The ILO pursues a vision based on the premise that universal and lasting peace can be established only, if it is based on social justice and regards gender based violence and harassment as a violation of social justice,” she said.

Mrs Phororo said the ILO in 2019 passed the Convention 190, (C 190) supplemented by a Recommendation (No. 206), the first international treaty that sets out the Right of both women and men to work in an environment free from violence and harassment.

“The Convention recognizes that violence and harassment in the world of work is a threat to equal opportunities and is unacceptable and incompatible with decent work, convention 190 pushes for a number of core principles that are embedded in international labor standards promoting fundamental principles of rights at work and Decent Work.

Furthermore, Phororo said 6 United Nations Agencies are implementing the Spotlight Initiative, a global partnership to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, funded by the European Union.

“The overall vision of the Spotlight Initiative in Zimbabwe is for women and girls to realize their full potential in a violence-free, gender-responsive and inclusive Zimbabwe,” she said.

In addition, Phororo said we cannot talk about violence and harassment without mentioning the world of work, be it in the offices, the fields, the informal markets or the homes.

“This is where the ILO is supporting the implementation of components aimed at addressing violence and harassment in the world of work through the development of workplace codes of practice, knowledge sharing; and a second component on women economic empowerment, targeting GBV survivors, women with disabilities, amongst other vulnerable women.

The strategy is a first generation vision document on the elimination of sexual harassment and gender-based violence in workplaces in Zimbabwe, and it seeks to protect all levels of  workers, ultimately creating an environment that will lead to a reduction of gender based violence and harassment in the Zimbabwean workplaces.

The ILO Convention 190 informed the Strategy development process and applied its principles and guidelines in the document.

The strategy also highlights the intersectionality of GBV with other vulnerabilities, including people with disabilities and people living with HIV.