N/R: TUC petitions government to ratify ILO Convention 190 to guaranteed safety of workers

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) have petitioned the government demanding the ratification of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Convention 190 to eliminate violence and harassment including gender-based violence and harassment at the work environment in the country.  

Members of the TUC match through principal streets of Tamale to intensify the campaign and advocacy before presenting a petition to the Northern Regional Minister, Mr. Shani Alhassan Shaibu, at the Regional Coordinating Council.

The TUC Regional Secretary, Madam Felicia Krajah, who read the petition lamented that violence and harassment at the workplace are real. She emphasized that not only do they violate the individual’s fundamental human rights but also hinder productivity, damage morale, and undermine the well-being of workers.

She stated evidence of workplace violence and harassment in Ghana is prevalent across all sectors including formal and informal and particularly among women and vulnerable groups.

“Available data indicates that 71.7% of respondents in a survey of 20,279 reported that they had experienced one form of violence or harassment in workplaces. Women constituted 53% whiles persons within the age group 22-35 years account for 67.9%” she explained.

“That various legal statutes such as the 1992 Constitution of Ghana; Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651); Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560); Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29); Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30); Domestic Violence Act, 2007 (Act 732); Labour Regulations, 2007 (LI 1833); Youth Employment Agency Regulations, 2016 (LI 223), and the Labour (Domestic Workers) Regulations, 2020 (L.I. 2408), were promulgated to address issues of violence and harassment in the country.”

She however observed these statutes are limited in scope to deal comprehensively with issues of violence and harassment in the world of work.

Having taken all the above into account, the Trade Union Congress (Ghana), as the representative body for workers in Ghana is urging the Government to prioritise the ratification of ILO Convention 190 on Violence and Harassment in the Workplace to protect the dignity of all workers in Ghana.”

The adoption of ILO Convention is to create safer workplaces for all workers, and to end Gender-Based Violence. Like all ILO Conventions, it is only effective when ratified and properly implemented and enforced.

Meanwhile, the TUC have recognized efforts made by the government through the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (MoELR) and other stakeholders towards the ratification of the Convention 190, such as research surveys, sensitization of constituents, and media engagements among others.

The Northern Regional Minister, Shani Alhassan Shaibu, in his remark gave an assurance of the government’s commitment to approving the ILO C190 into law.

“I am aware the government is working assiduously to make sure this convention is ratified but as we all know that governance is process and the process is still ongoing but I can only assure you that in the very near future the government will assent to this ratification and we would have it passed” he stated.