ILO Convention 190 and Beijing+30: Bridging Gender and Labor

C190 Arc Task Force Hosts “ILO Convention 190 and Beijing+30: Bridging Gender and Labor” Panel at NGO CSW69 Forum

On March 18th, the C190 Arc Task Force hosted a pivotal parallel event at the NGO CSW69 Forum, held at the Church Center for the United Nations. Titled “ILO Convention 190 and Beijing+30: Bridging Gender and Labor,” the event convened nine women leaders from the global South and North to reflect on the progress and challenges in tackling gender-based violence and harassment in the world of work.

A year ago, at CSW, a coalition of global trade unions and organizations formed the task Force with a shared goal: using the fifth anniversary of ILO Convention 190 (C190) to build global momentum for its ratification, implementation and integration worldwide. This event was a continuation of that work, focusing on:

• How the recognition and integration of women’s paid and unpaid labor is critical to advancing gender equality
• How addressing gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) is imperative to advancing labor rights
• How the integration of ILO C190 principles into Beijing+30 commitments can contribute to addressing and preventing GBV

“The C190 Arc Task Force created a transnational collaborative space for celebrating ILO C190 as a powerful, unifying rallying point for women workers and the labor movement. We shared concrete ways C190 is being implemented and developed strategies to advance its ratification, implementation, and integration. Through this process, we forged solidarity across feminist and labor movements in both the Global South and North and projected our collective power. We committed to anchoring C190 in grassroots organizing, national and regional level action, and global agendas—especially in the lead-up to Beijing+30. At every level, our efforts reaffirmed a crucial insight: labor—particularly women’s labor—must be a central part of the fight for gender equality,” said Anannya Bhattacharjee, , International Coordinator of Asia Floor Wage Alliance.

Key Speakers at the event:

• Annanya Bhattacharjee, International Coordinator, Asia Floor Wage Alliance
• Adriana Paz Ramirez, General Secretary, International Domestic Workers Federation
• Jennifer (JJ) Rosenbaum, Executive Director, Global Labor Justice
• Pinar Fulya Ӧzcan, International Secretary and President of Women’s Committee, Textile, Garment and Leather Trade Union Öz İplik-İş, Türkiye
• Krishanti Dharmaraj, Transnational Lead, Feminist Alliance for Rights & Senior Strategist, C190 Arc
• Alejandra Ancheita, Executive Director, ProDESC (The Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights Project) & Initiative for Transnational Justice, Mexico
• Iris Mungia, Former Secretary of Women, Federation of Industrial Agricultural Unions, Honduras
• Rola Abimourched, Deputy Director of Investigations and Gender Equity, Worker Rights Consortium
• Adra Manasi, Senior Program Coordinator, Global Labor Justice & Coordinator, C190 Arc Task Force

As part of this effort, the C190 Arc Task Force launched the C190 in Action microsite during 16 Days of Activism in November 2024. This resource hub provides tools and best practices to support labor and women’s rights organizations in driving C190 ratification, implementation, and integration efforts.

The Practitioners’ Expert Virtual Convening informed the new policy brief newly released policy brief from AFWA, GLJ and FAR – titled Women on the Rise, Gendering the World of Work.The policy brief serves as a strategic tool with actionable recommendations for advancing efforts for national commitments to Beijing+30 implementation, national implementation of SDG commitments, and contributing insights to the forthcoming brief from the UN Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls.