Turning the Tide on Violence and Harassment at Work

‘This is a historic day.’ The words sent a shiver down my spine, as applause erupted at the United Nations in Geneva on June 21st. The governments, worker representatives and employer organisations which make up the International Labour Organization (ILO) had just voted for a new treaty tackling the scourge of violence and harassment at work. For over 10 years, I have interviewed hundreds of domestic workers—in the middle east, Asia and east Africa—who told me about physical, psychological and sexual abuse at the hands of their employers. These are women such as Jamila A (the name changed for her…

© Human Rights Watch - jeudi 4 juillet 2019