The National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (CNSM) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) launched today, June 18, in Chisinau, the training of trainers project „Strenthening capacities on the elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work”, to contribute to a better promotion of ILO Convention no. 190 on the elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work in Moldova.

 Within the project, which will take place during 2024, a number of training activities will be organised to enhance the professional skills of representatives of trade union organisations to better understand the concepts of violence and harassment in the world of work, and, identify different types of violence and harassment that other colleagues, trade union members, may personally face in their working lives and contribute to the enforcement of their rights of protection against them.

Igor Zubcu, president of the CNSM, noted that through this project the Confederation has proposed, with the support of the ILO, to prevent violence and harassment in the world of work. Thus, within the project, at the first stage, two groups of trade union trainers will be prepared, including the members of the Women’s Commission of the CNSM, and later, at the second stage, territorial seminars will be organised with the participation of trade union leaders and activists.

The president of the CNSM thanked for the support provided by the social partners, civil society, international partners, on the ratification of the ILO Convention no. 190 on elimination of violence and harassment in the workplace by the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova in December 2023. The trade union leader emphasized the need to further combine efforts to ensure the implementation of the present Convention in our country.

 „As initiator of several normative acts aimed at working conditions and harassment in the workplace, I am glad to have continuity in the process of ensuring a comfortable climate in the world of work in our country. I appreciate our collaboration with the Trade Unions, ILO, civil society and other state institutions. Harassment in the world of work, whether we are talking about verbal harassment or sexual harassment, remains a serious problem in the Republic of Moldova and both women and men are affected by this phenomenon. It is necessary to strengthen our efforts to combat these practices and ensure a world of work without harassment and discrimination”, said Angela Munteanu-Pojoga, MP in the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova.

Angela Otean, chairwoman of the Women’s Commission of the CNSM, said that through the activities planned within the project, the trade unionists will be more aware of the importance of the ILO Convention no. 190, the, to prevent and identify actions of manifestation of violence and harassment in the world of work, and, develop appropriate mechanisms and include policies to prevent and combat violence and harassment at unity level.

In turn, Nelea Rusu, the national project coordinator of the International Labour Organization,  noted that trade unionists can be agents of change in the workplace and reiterated the importance of developing partnerships aimed at combating and preventing violence and harassment in the workplace.

Also, Maria Jose Chamorro, senior specialist in the field of formalization and gender equality of the Bureau of the International Labour Organization in Budapest, appreciated the efforts and achievements of the social partners in the Republic of Moldova to ratify the ILO Convention no. 190. Chamorro specified that the ratification of this important document is only one step, its implementation being important to ensure proper protection of the rights and interests of employees at work.

In this context, the CNSM has repeatedly proposed the ratification and proper implementation of the ILO Convention no. 190 as imminent in order to combat the scourge of violence and harassment in the world of work, especially of gender violence. This Convention sets out the steps that governments and social partners can take to mitigate the impact of violence and harassment in the workplace.

ILO Convention No 190 is a reference instrument. It is the first international standard of work to address violence and harassment in the world of work. Together with ILO Recommendation 206, it provides a common framework for action and a unique opportunity to shape a future of work based on social justice. The documents were adopted in 2019 at the International Labour Organisation Conference, and have so far been ratified by 44 countries.

A recent study by the ILO shows that almost 23% of employed people have been harassed at work, victims of violence, either psychologically or physically, psychological or sexual throughout their professional life. Globally, around 18% of those employed said they had experienced violence and psychological harassment in the workplace, and 8.5% experienced violence and physical harassment. The study also shows that men are more affected by physical violence, while women are particularly exposed to violence and sexual harassment.