Regional Forum Addressing GBVH

On May 16, LI legal director George Sandul participated in the Forum for local union chapters of the Kyiv region organized by the Kyiv Regional Union Council (Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine (FPU) affiliate) and supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Ukraine. The event gathered about 70 union representatives from various sectors and was dedicated to implementing the ILO Convention 190, against gender based violence and harassment,  on the local level. 

In his presentation, George stressed the role of collective bargaining agreements (CBA) in preventing gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) in the workplace. This legal instrument can serve as an efficient tool in addressing GBVH and both prompt reaction from an employer and provide additional mechanisms for complaints on any violations at the company level.  It is crucial to include relevant clauses to a CBA and to foster their implementation in the course of work (in the form of surveys, training for management and workers, information campaigns, the appointment of a gender equality commissioner, the establishment of the complaint procedure, etc.).  

In addition to CBAs, policies or guidelines on non-discrimination can be implemented at the local or regional levels. During the forum, the Kyiv Regional Union Council presented a Policy on Preventing Discrimination, Violence, and Harassment at Work in the Kyiv region. This Policy was signed by regional unions and employers’ associations and drafted with the support of ILO in Ukraine.