Vietnam committed to preventing violence, harassment at workplace

Nguyen Manh Cuong, Director of the International Cooperation under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs at the event (Source: VNA)

Nguyen Manh Cuong, Director of the International Cooperation under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs made the affirmation at the seminar on making the draft convention of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on “Ending violence and harassment against women and men in the world of work” in Hanoi on May 10.

Vietnam will send a delegation of Governmental officials, employers and employees to the 107th annual Session hosted by ILO in Sweden’s Geneva to join the second-round discussion for the draft Convention, Cuong said.

The event presents opportunities for stakeholders to discuss and update the progress of making the Convention as well as to evaluate Vietnam’s possibility to join the Convention.

“Vietnam is working on the revised Law on Labour,” Cuong said, adding that seminar is expected to contribute to the process.

The event saw the participation of delegation to attend the upcoming ILO’s 107th session, officials from ministries, sectors, localities, and representatives from relevant domestic and international organisations.  

Le Kim Dung , Director of CARE International in Vietnam attached significance to ensuring safety at workplace, saying that it contributes to enhancing economic efficiency in general, the welfare for employees in particular.

At the seminar (Source: VNA)

Dung expressed her hope that Vietnam will make significant contribution to the process of making the Convention as well as completing the nation’s legal framework for the matter.

For her part, Andrea Prince, ILO expert on labour law said violence and harassment at work violate human rights.

The issue negatively affects labour productivity and enterprise reputation, as well as hampers effective functioning of labour markets, she added.

“There is no internationally-agreed definition of violence and harassment, nor international guidance on how to address it”, the ILO expert said.

“This is why we need new standards on violence and harassment in the world of work,” Andrea reiterated.

The Convention will come up with key definitions, concepts and disciplines, while recommending ways to obey the disciplines and monitor and support affected people.

On the occasion, participants review the progresses and challenges in Vietnam’s legal system related to preventing violence and harassment at workplace as well as the role of the Convention amid Vietnam’s membership to regional free trade agreements.

They also discussed potential impacts of the Convention to Vietnam./.

VNA