Monitoring Romania’s ratification of C190 by the UN Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls

05 February 2024

On 30 January, A.L.E.G. sent a report to the UN Working Group (UNWG) on Discrimination against Women and Girls describing the status of ratification of ILO Convention No. 190 on harassment and violence in the world of work (C190) and making a number of recommendations to improve the current legal framework, public policies and institutional anti-harassment practices.

In 2021, the UN Working Group, following its country visit in 2020, recommended Romania to adopt and implement additional policies and strategies to protect women from harassment in the workplace and to ratify C190.

Starting in 2021, A.L.E.G. initiated and coordinated the national campaign “Employers for Respect” for the ratification of C190. Following advocacy efforts over the past two years, in November 2023, the government adopted a legislative initiative to ratify C190, which is now in Parliament for a vote.

At the end of 2023, the Government initiated consultations with several stakeholders on harmonising the legal framework in line with C190 standards. A.L.E.G. actively contributed to the consultations, making a number of concrete recommendations.

In the report sent to the UN Working Group, A.L.E.G. recommended the following actions to the Group:

Request the Romanian Government to submit a timetable for harmonising legislation, policies and institutional practices with C190 standards,
Request the Romanian Government to allocate the necessary financial resources to ensure that the legislative, policy and institutional reforms following ratification and harmonisation of C190 will be implemented,
Request the Romanian Government to continue to include civil society in consultations and deliberations on the C190 ratification and harmonisation process,
Urge the Government of Romania to ensure that the process of harmonisation to C190 standards will continue to be based on the following principles:
- Inclusive approach: A broad scope of protection against violence and harassment that includes all workers, in the formal and informal economy, and takes into account the different needs of people with disabilities, migrants, refugees and people at risk of discrimination, especially multiple or intersectional discrimination; protection in the physical workplace, but also in work-related places; protection against harassment and violence by or against third parties, such as clients, patients or students; consultation with all relevant actors (workers, trade unions, employers and NGOs) to better capture all the needs of male and female workers.
- Gender-sensitive approach: addressing the causes and effects of gender-based violence and harassment, such as unequal power relations based on gender, gender stereotypes, as well as intersectional inequalities related to sexual orientation, ethnicity, age, (dis)ability, etc. and reducing their negative effects.
- Integrated approach: integrating the prohibition of and protection against harassment and violence in the world of work into criminal and labour law, as well as into laws and public policies on occupational safety and health and laws on non-discrimination, equal opportunities and treatment and migrant rights; prevention and protection measures, enforcement measures and access to redress and remedy, as well as guidance, training and awareness-raising measures on harassment and violence in the world of work for both workers and employers.
- Human rights-centred approach: respect for human rights and dignity in all processes and procedures related to the prevention, reporting, management and redress of harassment or violence in the world of work.
Continue to monitor Romania’s ratification of C190 and the Government’s efforts to ensure that the right of workers to work in a safe and healthy environment free from violence and harassment is respected.

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In 2021, A.L.E.G. initiated the Employers for Respect campaign for the ratification of ILO Convention No. 190 on the elimination of harassment and violence in the world of work. The gaps in the legal framework on harassment in the world of work and the weak implementation of the law are documented in this policy brief published by A.L.E.G. in 2021 and in the thematic policy brief on harassment of migrant workers published by A.L.E.G. in 2023.