Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - A seminar on endingviolence and harassment in the workplace was held in Hanoi on May 28 bythe International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Ministry of Labour,Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and CARE International in Vietnam.

Nguyen Manh Cuong, General Director of the MOLISA’sDepartment of International Cooperation, said Vietnam would send a delegationof Government officials, employers and employees to the 108th annualsession hosted by the ILO in Sweden’s Geneva in June to join the finalround of discussions on a draft convention to stop sexual harassment inthe workplace. 

Vietnam's interest in the new convention showed Vietnam'scommitment to global labour and international integration, he said.

According to Vuong Thai Nga from CARE International in Vietnam,the main point of the new convention was the broadening of the terms"violence," "harassment," "atwork," and "labourers."

The term "violence and harassment" at work refersto a series of unacceptable behaviour that could cause physical,psychological, sexual or economic harm.

"Labourer" in the draft is regulated to includeall employees, trainees and apprentices, volunteers, job seekers and jobapplicants, both in the formal and informal economic sectors, and in urbanand rural areas.

The draft also clarified the concept "atwork" as any location or environment related to the work process,related to or arising from work, according to Nga.

Vietnam has ratified the ILO Convention on Discrimination(Convention 111), which places an obligation on states to address genderinequality, encompassing gender discriminatory behaviour. Additionally, a jointreport by the ILO and MOLISA noted that without a clear definition in theLabour Code or decrees, Vietnamese workers were vulnerable to sexualharassment, which clearly violated their fundamental rights. 

Andrea Prince, and expert in labour laws atthe ILO in Vietnam, said in general, the attitude towards victims andperpetrators had started to change and national laws, policies andinitiatives by leading employers had been adjusted in the right direction.

"In the draft revised Labour Code recently published,we see signs that Vietnam is joining this push, with a proposal for thedefinition of sexual harassment to be included for the first time in law."

She said the definition may not yet fully capture allaspects of the problem.

"Providing a definition is a big step forward, lawsneed to also reflect the requirement for and right to equality across allprovisions. The recent draft revised Labour Code includes some very positivesteps in this direction, but there is still more work to do," shesaid.

Le Dinh Quang, Deputy Director of the Labour RelationsDepartment at the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, said it wasstill difficult to identify acts of sexual harassment, adding there should bespecific regulations.

The concepts and definitions needed to be clear to helpbusinesses and employees implement this regulation and find solutions toprotect workers, he said.-VNS/VNA