Parliament ratified the International Labour Organisation Convention No. 190 on violence and harassment in the world of work. A law to this effect was voted today in two readings.

The Convention is the first international instrument to set specific, globally applicable standards on combating work-related harassment and violence and clearly specifies the role of governments and social partners in preventing, addressing and remedying harassment and violence.

The document protects workers in the formal and informal economy, including volunteers, trainees and apprentices. Ratification and implementation of the Convention by the Republic of Moldova will help to improve legislation in this area and to address many of the problems that have arisen in practice.

Felicia Bechtoldt, State Secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection: “Harassment in the world of work, be it verbal harassment or sexual harassment, remains a serious problem in the Republic of Moldova and both women and men are affected by it. A study carried out in 2023 shows that 1 in 5 women face various forms of harassment at work. These behaviours are unacceptable and affect the dignity and health of individuals. We need to strengthen our efforts to combat these practices.”

The Convention will enter into force for the Republic of Moldova one year after the law being ratified and will involve the adoption of legislative amendments to bring national legislation in line with the international standards laid down in the Convention. International Labour Organization Convention No. 190 on violence and harassment in the world of work was adopted in Geneva on 21 June 2019 and entered into force on 25 June 2021. To date, it has been ratified by 36 states.