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The Norwegian Government is prioritising gender equality policies and encouraging new regulations to help battle violence and sexual harassment in the world of work.
Recently, a proposed ratification was submitted by the Norwegian Government of the International Labour Organisation’s Violence and Harassment Convention No. 190, concerning the abolishment of violence and harassment in what the ILO refers to as “the world of work”. The ILO Convention is an international labour standard which was adopted by the International Labour Organisation in the summer of 2019. It recognises the right of every person to work in an environment free from violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment.
In 2019, a survey among employed persons in Norway revealed that 4,5 % were subject to some form of sexual attention at work at least once every month or more. Ratifying the ILO convention, the Norwegian Government argues, would help recognize every person’s right to a life free from violence and harassment - on a national as well as an international scale, as it would promote further regulations in the world of work, securing satisfactory conditions for workers across borders.
- The Norwegian Government seeks to prioritise the promotion of gender equality policies and a society of equal opportunities. We want to make sure Norwegian workplaces are open and inclusive to all, and we wish to prevent anyone from falling victim to harassment and violence in the world of work, says Marte Mjøs Persen, Norway’s Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion, in a press release.
The government also proposes an increased legislative focus on protection against harassment, specifically against sexual harassment.
- Placing further emphasis on the protection against sexual harassment through the Working Environment Act would help ensure that local employees give more attention to implementing countermeasures against sexual harassment in their particular workplace. Our current proposition would also help improve the manageability and observance of the regulations, adds Mjøs Persen.
