Uganda’s Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development Janat Mukwaya has called on labour actors at the international scene to ensure that more efforts are put into protecting women against violence and harassment at work.
Mukwaya observed that women are more often than men subjected to violence and harassment at work but unfortunately, although violence against women is widely acknowledged, few people raise a voice against the vice.
“For others, the violence and harassment because of conservative stereotypes, is seen as a reality that has to be tolerated as part of life. I am therefore pleased that the International Labour Organisation is working on an international labour standard on ending violence and harassment at work” She noted.
The Minister was speaking at the 107th Session of the International Labour Conference that’s underway in Geneva, Switzerland. The conference runs from 28 May –8 June 2018.
Mukwaya is leading the Government of Uganda delegation which also includes Mr. Pius Bigirimana, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Mr. Peter Werikhe, Secretary General National Organisation of Trade Unions and Mr. Douglas Opio, the Executive Director of the Federation of Uganda Employers.
The International Labour Conference is the ILO’s highest decision-making body. It meets annually, bringing together the tripartite delegations from the Organization’s 187 member States and a number of observers from other international actors to consider a series of topics related to the world of work, placed on its agenda by the Governing Body of the ILO. The Conference is composed of a plenary and technical committees.
Among the committees is the Standard Setting Committee on violence and harassment in the world of work, where Uganda and particularly Permanent Secretary Pius Bigirimana was appointed Spokesperson for the Africa Group.
Mukwaya said this appointment was an honour in recognition of the many bold strides that the Government of Uganda has taken in ensuring that gender equality.
