November 22, 2022

The National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) women’s section on November 20 in Osaka City organized a workshop in which participants discussed ways to utilize international labor standards to protect women’s rights in the workplace.

Nagao Yuri, former head of the Zenroren women’s section, delivered a lecture and spoke about the U.N. Convention for Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and workers’ rights set forth in ILO conventions.

Talking about CEDAW, which was adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly, Nagao said that the convention resulted from the increase in global public opinion after WWII that taking steps to protect human rights and eliminate discrimination will help prevent war. In addition, Nagao said that the latest ILO convention prohibiting workplace violence and harassment (Convention No.190) emphasizes the importance of creating a workplace based on mutual respect for human dignity.

Nagao pointed out that out of 190 ILO treaties, the Japanese government has so far ratified only 50. Furthermore, she added, Japan is especially reluctant to ratify 18 ILO treaties on workhour rules, such as the Convention No.1 stipulating the eight-hour work day.

Nagao called on workshop participants to increase united efforts to push the government to approve all work time-related ILO conventions in order to protect women’s labor rights and improve their working conditions.