Pacific women demand stronger workplace protections

Women across the Pacific continue to face high levels of workplace sexual harassment and violence, prompting regional rights groups to launch a coordinated campaign calling for urgent legal and policy reforms to protect workers.

The Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, together with partners in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, has called on governments to immediately ratify and fully implement International Labour Organisation Convention No. 190, which sets global standards to eliminate violence and harassment in the workplace.

In a media statement issued today, campaign data highlighted the scale of the issue, with reports showing 71 per cent of women surveyed in Papua New Guinea and 66 per cent in Vanuatu had experienced workplace harassment or violence. In Fiji, one in five women in paid employment reported sexual harassment.

FWRM executive director Nalini Singh said the figures reflected persistent gaps in workplace protections across the region.

“Workplace sexual harassment and the lack of supportive policies have continued to undermine women’s wellbeing and opportunities at work,” Ms Singh said.

Ms Singh said governments, civil society, unions and communities must work together to ensure safer workplaces.

“When governments, civil society, unions and communities stand together, change is possible,” she said.

“We cannot talk about economic empowerment or gender equality while our women are unsafe in the places they work.”

The campaign will roll out across digital platforms over the coming week, focusing on awareness of Convention 190, country-specific issues and calls for institutional accountability.