The collaboration between the Trades Union Congress (TUC – Ghana) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Bureau for Workers Activities urges the Government to officially endorse ILO Convention 190 for the enhancement of workplace safety.
Upon ratification, the TUC asserts that ILO Convention 190 will play a crucial role in safeguarding Ghanaian workers against gender-based violence and sexual harassment.
Conducting a procession through key thoroughfares of Tamale, the TUC presented a petition to the Northern Regional Minister in his office, advocating for the ratification of ILO Convention 190. Their placards bore messages such as “Safety of Workers non-Negotiable,” “ILO Convention 190 will ensure our Safety and Well-being at Work,” and “Ratify ILO Convention now.”
While delivering the petition, Mrs. Felicia Krajah, Northern Regional Secretary of TUC – Ghana, emphasized the tangible impact of workplace violence and harassment on workers’ fundamental rights, productivity, morale, and overall well-being.
Explaining the significance of adopting ILO Convention 190, she articulated, “The adoption of ILO Convention 190 is to create safer workplaces for all workers, and to end gender-based violence.”
In Ghana, workplace violence and harassment are pervasive across various sectors, formal and informal, with a particular impact on women and vulnerable groups. Statistical data reveals that 71.7% of surveyed respondents, totaling 20,279, reported experiencing violence or harassment in workplaces. Women constituted 53%, and individuals aged 22–35 accounted for 67.9%.
Mrs. Krajah pointed out that existing laws, including the 1992 Constitution, Labour Act 2003 (Act 651), Children Act 1998 (Act 560), and Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29), address workplace violence and harassment but have limitations in comprehensively tackling these issues.
Alhaji Shani Alhassan Saibu, the Northern Regional Minister, received the petition on behalf of the government, reiterating the commitment to ensuring the ratification of ILO Convention 190 for the benefit of all workers.