On July 1st, 2021, Mauritius became the seventh country in the world, and the third African country, to ratify the ILO’s Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190) .

Honourable SOODESH S. CALLICHURN, Minister of Labour, Human Resource Development & Training and Minister of Commerce & Protection of Consumers, deposited these instruments of ratification with ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder, in a virtual ceremony.

Convention No. 190  is the first international treaty to address violence and harassment in the world of work. Together with Recommendation No.206 , it provides a common framework for action and a unique opportunity to shape a future of work based on dignity and respect, and underlines the right of everyone to a world free from violence and harassment. It includes the first international definition of violence and harassment in the world of work, including gender-based violence. The Convention applies to the public and private sectors, formal and informal economies, and urban and rural areas. It protects everyone in the world of work, irrespective of their contractual status.

The Convention also requires ratifying member States to adopt, in consultation with representative employers’ and workers’ organizations, an inclusive, integrated and gender-responsive approach to preventing and eliminating violence and harassment, through prevention, protection and enforcement measures and remedies, as well as guidance, training and awareness-raising. It also recognizes the different and complementary roles and functions of governments, employers and workers and their respective organizations, taking into account the varying nature and extent of their responsibilities. The Convention and Recommendation are tangible evidence of the enduring value and strength of social dialogue and tripartism, which will be essential in implementing them at national level.

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