Mr. Numan Özcan, Director of the ILO Office for Turkey, and Ms. Canan Güllü, President of TKDF, met on 14 April 2022 at the ILO Office for Turkey in Ankara to discuss the details of cooperation and areas of joint work of two organizations in order to prevent gender-based violence and harassment at work, one of the biggest barriers to women’s employment.

Such cooperation also constitutes an important part of the long-term campaign and activities undertaken by the ILO Office for Turkey which has already engaged in comprehensive work for the ratification and implementation of ILO’s Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190).

Speaking at the meeting, Director Özcan underlined that violence and harassment at work was a likely issue for every worker, but women were under grater risk; and constituted one of the biggest barriers to women’s access to and remaining in the world of work, and advancing to higher positions.

“It is therefore critical that various actors working on the issue to prevent gender-based violence and harassment at work come together; mobilize institutional knowledge, experience and resources to join forces; and execute work in coordination and cooperation.”

“Cooperation is a part of our work for the ratification of C190”

“This is a significant step towards the cooperation that we will engage with TKDF. This cooperation is also an important part and reflection of the work that we have engaged and will continue to engage for the ratification and implementation of ILO’s Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190) which was adopted in 2019 and entered into force in 2021.”

Director Özcan further said: “We intend to contribute to enabling women to participate in the labour market in larger numbers and remain longer in the market under decent working conditions.”

Speaking at the meeting, TKDF President Ms. Canan Güllü noted that they as an association had always emphasised the importance of preventive policies against increasing violence, harassment, rape and sexual abuse against women and said: “Reviewing the data from the TKDF HotLine, we understand that the majority of cases stem from victims’ lack of knowledge in legal rights. Domestic violence is a violation of human rights. We are happy to be here today for such cooperation which will be the practical field reflection of C190 which we believe will prevent violations, address such rights in the world of work, and be a protective shield for workers at home and at work.”

“I should say explicitly that we accord high importance to this cooperation and to C190.”

Expressing that TKDF had long been working with the private sector and their HotLine was funded by private sector entities, Ms. Güllü added: “We are excited to engage in solution-oriented work by the cooperation of ILO and an NGO through the multiplier effect, awareness and policy-making power of the business community that addresses the matter sensitively.”

What the cooperation entails?

The cooperation agreed between the ILO Office for Turkey and TKDF aims to raise awareness for prevention of gender-based violence and harassment, and enable victims of such violence and harassment to access support mechanisms. It is also aimed within this frame to make use of the TKDF HotLine and Call Centre.

Accordingly, representatives of workers’ and employers’ organizations and private sector cooperating with ILO and those exposed to or under risk of violence and harassment at work may call the TKDF HotLine and Call Centre in cases of violence and harassment, and receive legal advice and psychological counselling as needed and referral services to social support mechanisms.

The work to be undertaken under the “More and Better Jobs for Women Programme” being implemented by the ILO Office for Turkey with funding from Sweden will also involve the creation of communication materials to raise awareness on the matter and a series of communications and advocacy activities, as well as increase the recognition and visibility of TKDF’s HotLine and Call Centre. Further joint work is planned so that counsellors at the HotLine and Call Centre are equipped to provide services under guidance from the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190).

The Convention indicates that gender-based violence and harassment disproportionately affects women and girls, and provides an inclusive, integrated and gender-responsive approach.