full employment decent work violence at work ny …non-verbal conduct • it is an affront to the...

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Full employment and decent work:intensification of efforts to eliminate all forms of

violence against women at work

Manuela TomeiILO, TRAVAIL, Geneva

TRAVAIL - Conditions of Work and Employment Programme 2

What is decent work?What is decent work?

• Decent work means work:–available to all those men and

women who need or wish to work, and

–executed in conditions of freedomand equality of opportunities, security and dignity


What is discrimination in employment and occupation?What is discrimination in employment and occupation?

« Any distinction, exclusion or preference made on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction, social origin, which has the effect of nullifying or impairing equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and occupation »(art. 1, ILO Convention No.111)


The link between decent work, gender discrimination, and violence against women

The link between decent work, gender discrimination, and violence against women

• Gender discrimination produces deficits in decent work, by

– limiting the range of women’s work opportunities and choices

– reducing women’s income, economic and voice security

– generating inequalities in labour market outcomes and well-being between men and women

• Gender inequalities perpetuate violence against women at work, in the community and the family


The link between decent work, gender discrimination, and violence against women (continuation)

The link between decent work, gender discrimination, and violence against women (continuation)

• Violence at the workplace, in the community and the family are interconnected, but

• Each form of violence has distinct characteristics and requires specific responses

• Workplace violence can be addressed more readily than other forms of violence

• The elimination of discrimination and promotion of gender equality at work: key to attaining decent work for all and to combat violence against women in all spheres


The cost of discriminationThe cost of discrimination

• Discrimination:– Produces emotional and psychological suffering– Entails a waste of human talents– Produces losses in labour productivity – Increases unemployment welfare benefits, health

care and long-term rehabilitation cost (in case of violence at work)

– Undermines economic growth– Slows down efforts aimed at reducing poverty


Positive developments

• The gender gaps in education are declining everywhere, and more women than men enrol in Universities in most regions

• Lower fertility rates in some regions

• Women’s entry into the labour market continues in a majority of countries (greater economic opportunities, greater needs)

• Women’s employment-to-population ratios have increased in a majority of countries, while men’s ratios have declined

• More women in high status-jobs, although they still constitute a minority

How are women faring in the labour market?(data for 1996-2006)



Female-to-male gross enrolment ratios in primary, secondaryand tertiary education, by region, (2002-03)

Female-to-male gross enrolment ratios in primary, secondaryand tertiary education, by region, (2002-03)


Female shares in legislative and managerial positions1995 and 2004 (%)

Female shares in legislative and managerial positions1995 and 2004 (%)


Pending challenges

• Too many women still work without a pay

• Women are over-represented among informal workers and “non-standard” or “non-regular” jobs

• Women’s workload (paid and unpaid work) is higher than men’s, because of much higher hours in unpaid work for which demand is growing.

• Women continue to earn on average less than men even for the same or similar work and for work of equal value




Gender pay gaps in manufacturing selected countries and areas,1995 - 2004, % difference between female and male wages

Gender pay gaps in manufacturing selected countries and areas,1995 - 2004, % difference between female and male wages


Percentage distribution of women workers by status in total female employment by region, 1996 and 2006

Percentage distribution of women workers by status in total female employment by region, 1996 and 2006

Source: ILO, Global Employment Trends Model, 2006; see also Technical Note in ILO, Global Employment Trends(Geneva, 2005) and for further technical information on the world and regional estimation processes, seehttp://www.ilo.org/public/english/employment/strat/wrest.htm. Differences from earlier estimates are due to revisions in the labour market information used and the specific grouping of countries used in this report. The latter is taken from ILO, Key Indicators of the Labour Market, fourth edition, Geneva (2005). 2006 are preliminary estimates.


Hours in paid and unpaid work by sex, selected countriesHours in paid and unpaid work by sex, selected countries

79.831.648.2Men

94.552.142.4Women

Philippines

57.69.147.9Men

88.742.446.3Women

Ghana

51942Men

613526Women

Bolivia

TotalUnpaid WorkPaid Work

Spending long hours in paid and unpaid work


• Discrimination in the allocation of jobs (occupational segregation)

- Discrimination based on pregnancy and motherhood

• Discrimination in remuneration

• Unequal division of paid and unpaid work between men and women

• Sexual harassment

Gender-based discrimination that persistsin contemporary world

Gender-based discrimination that persistsin contemporary world


• Sex-based or sexual behaviour that is unwelcome and offensive to its recipient (CEARC, General Observation of C. No. 111)

• Sexual harassment may entail physical, verbal and non-verbal conduct

• It is an affront to the human rights and dignity of a person

• It is an infringement on workers’ health and safety, and quality of work

• Risk of exposure to sexual harassment varies across industries, occupations and nature of the workplace

• Prevalence is greatest among young and financially dependent, single, separated, widowed and migrants

Workplace violence against women: The case of sexualharassment

Workplace violence against women: The case of sexualharassment


Occupational segregation

Unequal division ofpaid and unpaid work

Gender discriminationin remuneration

Mutually reinforcing barriers towards gender equality at workMutually reinforcing barriers towards gender equality at work

Sexual harassment


A combination of policy means is required:

A. Measuring and monitoring trends in women’s labour market outcomes relative to men’s

– Some progress, but insufficient

B. Coherent and effective laws and enforcement mechanisms

– Proactive laws versus individual complaint-based mechanism

– Consistency between labour codes and civil or family laws and other bodies of law

– Sanctions yes, but also incentives or promotional mechanisms

– Lower obstacles towards access to justice

What to do? What to do?


C. A coherent set of public policy interventions that act simultaneously upon:– occupational segregation (e.g. positive action, targeted ALM

policies, women’s entrepreneurship development)

– discrimination in remuneration (e.g. job evaluation methods free of gender biases, minimum wage policies, review of occupational classification systems)

– unequal division of paid and unpaid labor (work/family reconciliation measures, e.g. child care arrangements, maternity/paternity/parental leave, flexitime)

– Sexual harassment (e.g. laws, codes of practice and guidelines, OSH workplace committees, awareness-raising and training on prevention techniques and post-incident management)



• The sequencing and mix of these policy measures can vary depending on national circumstances

• Committed and well-equipped employers’ and workers’ organizations are essential

• Tripartite dialogue, i.e. Tripartite Commissions on Gender and Work in Southern Cone countries


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Thank you for your attentionThank you for your attention

full employment decent work violence at work ny …non-verbal conduct • it is an affront to the...

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