The Women wing of the Nigeria Labour Congress has held an advocacy rally to drum Nigeria’s support for the International Labour Organisation Convention recommending a stop to all forms of gender-based violence and harassment in the world of work.
The National Women Commission of the NLC walked through the streets of Abuja and presented formal letters to the Federal Ministries of Labour and Women Affairs.
TVC News Correspondent, Joke Adisa, reports that sexual harassment, discrimination and all forms of violence against male and female workers are a common feature in the work environment.
The story of a civil servant whose identity will not be disclosed here is a case in point. Her efforts to claim her late father’s pension in 2003 opened her eyes to sexual harassment in the work place. She would not succumb to threats and had to take her case to higher authorities and in the end, she was vindicated.
She was lucky but many others in her shoes have not been as favoured and that is why she has joined the advocacy group for the elimination of all
forms of harassment in offices.
Although,Nigeria lacks requisite statistics, the increasing rate of these vices has become a matter of public concern.
Cases such as those involving Rachel Njeri of Makerere University, Monica Osagie of Obafemi Awoloo University and renowned feminist writer,
Chimamanda Adichie, have in no small measure contributed to the growing scandal.
Some Nigerians speak on what brings about sexual harassment Nigeria has enabling laws kicking against all forms of gender-based violence
These women believe plans to adopt the ILO convention in June this year will go a long way to check the ugly development.
And ahead of the ILO adoption of its convention on putting a stop to gender-based violence at work places, the Nigerian government says it is
buying into its ratification and domestication.
The advocacy rally is in commemoration of this year’s International Women’s Day celebrated every 8th of March .
The women are sensitizing men and women on the need to shun violence against both genders. They are also advocating against every form of violence against the worker, either at home against house helps, drivers or cooks or in offices.
