From Global Standards to Local Action: The Impact of ILO Convention No. 190 on Violence and Harassment in the World of Work

In 2019, the International Labor Organization celebrated its centenary by adopting Convention 190, the first international instrument to consistently and comprehensively address violence and harassment in the world of work. This historic and groundbreaking decision came after years of feminist and trade union demands that this phenomenon be recognized as a severe violation of human rights and incompatible with decent work. Although it is a recent Convention, its uniqueness and innovative character have already generated changes in international and local frameworks. The first part of the master’s thesis seeks to reconstruct the history of Convention 190 and its Recommendation 206, framing it in the context of women’s struggles to recognize their rights in the workplace. Indeed, the phenomenon of violence and harassment in the world of work should be analyzed by considering its gender dimension and how women are disproportionately more affected than others. The first chapter reconstructs the ILO’s history from the perspective of women, illustrating how it has dealt with women’s instances and how women have influenced its agenda. It will be argued how violence in the world of work should also be analyzed from a gender perspective and, thus, how its recognition fits into the advancement of women workers’ rights. In addition, the social and labor movements that were most influential in adopting the Convention will be illustrated. The second chapter, on the other hand, will be devoted to a detailed analysis of the work done by the ILO that led to the adoption of Convention 190 and its Recommendation 206. In particular, the international framework before the Convention and the gaps that a new international instrument would have filled will be explained first. Then, the main steps of the ILO work and the parties’ discussions will be analyzed. Finally, the main features of the two instruments, their innovative character, the current status of ratifications, and the changes they have generated will be explained. The second part of the thesis will focus on the Italian context. The third chapter will analyze Italy’s ratification process and the implementation of the Convention in the national framework. The chapter will also illustrate data on violence and harassment in the Italian world of work, the norms that regulate this phenomenon, and the changes taking place at the national level. Finally, the third and final part will be devoted to the local context. The fourth chapter explores the role of Anti-Violence Centers in preventing and combating violence and harassment in the workplace, thanks to an analysis of the work done by Centro Veneto Progetti Donna, which for more than 30 years has been supporting women experiencing situations of violence in Padua and its province. The specifics of the phenomenon, the current situation’s critical issues and limitations, and the Centers’ strategies to support women and promote safe and respectful work environments will be discussed. This will be done by illustrating the data collected by Centro Veneto Progetti Donna, analyzing the projects activated to prevent violence and harassment in the world of work, and reporting the experience of Centro Veneto Progetti Donna employees who deal with these issues daily. This thesis’s multilevel approach aims to show the real impact that the ILO and Convention 190 can have on countries, in this case Italy, and how the different levels affect each other. Bringing global standards to a local dimension allows us to understand their effectiveness and limitations. Finally, to report on the experience of anti-violence centers also aims to emphasize their importance in preventing and addressing violence against women.