Declaration of the International Labor Confederation (ILC)

"International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women – November 25"

A Just World Will Be Built Through Comprehensive Struggles Against Violence!

Violence against women is a violation of human rights that threatens fundamental rights and freedoms and disrupts social peace worldwide.

Although production methods underwent radical changes after the industrial revolution, in many parts of the world today, women's labor is still regarded as cheap, precarious, and easily replaceable.

In today's global system, which seems to be caught in a spiral of violence, women and girls are among the most vulnerable groups. Crises ranging from global inflation and rising living costs to the climate crisis and regional conflicts directly impact women's lives, pushing them into a deepening inequality. Despite half of the time to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals having passed, current indicators show that women will continue to face severe threats such as food insecurity and extreme poverty by 2030.

A coordinated, strong, and multidimensional global struggle to end physical, economic, psychological, and all other forms of violence against women has become an urgent necessity.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the International Labor Confederation (ILC) declares:

- A holistic approach must be developed to address violence, and violence against women must be evaluated within this comprehensive framework.
- The conditions that cause violence—its roots—must be focused on. Psychosocial risk factors should be identified, and proactive efforts should be implemented in this context.
- Without eradicating violence in working life, it is impossible to ensure the proper protection of women's labor. Violence is not only a significant occupational health and safety issue but also a reflection of widespread societal violence. Furthermore, workplace violence and harassment negatively affect not only the victim but also their families, colleagues, and society as a whole.
- To ensure that women's labor is secured, respected, and produced under conditions befitting human dignity, a balance between work and family life must be prioritized. Governments should increase incentives, and permanent solutions should replace temporary arrangements. Maternity rights should be protected, parents should have easy access to childcare services, paid leaves should be increased, and governments should allocate more resources to caregiving services.
- Efforts should be intensified in the media to make women visible through their labor rather than normalizing violence against women or objectifying them.
- Wage inequality should be considered a form of economic violence. To prevent workplace violence, workloads must be distributed fairly.
- Labor organizations must be regarded as indispensable stakeholders in public policies to prevent violence in working life, and social dialogue mechanisms should be utilized.
- In the current global system, where capital flows freely but labor mobility is restricted, the result is a refugee crisis. In this context, the lives, dignity, and labor of migrant women must be holistically protected.

Lastly, as crucial as preventing violence against women in working life is addressing the horrifying tragedies faced by women and girls in war and conflict zones. Over the past year, more than 45,000 people have lost their lives due to Israel's brutal attacks, 70% of whom were women and children. Women and girls who survive are struggling daily to stay alive. Women battling hunger and poverty lack access to healthcare; pregnant women are forced to give birth on the streets; infant mortality rates have reached alarming levels, and women are dying in aid queues. Therefore, the fight against violence against women must begin in Gaza. November 25 should be a turning point when labor movements worldwide listen to the cries from Gaza and transform women's solidarity into a global struggle.

As the International Labor Confederation (ILC), which considers all forms of violence against women a betrayal of humanity, we assert that a “Just World” founded on solidarity in labor is possible through a violence-free social life and work environment befitting human dignity.

We will continue to fight for a just world where women’s labor is not exploited as cheap labor, where they are not subjected to mobbing, where their maternity rights are protected, where work-life balance is achieved, and, most importantly, where their right to life is not violated.

Long Live the Global Solidarity of Labor Against Violence!
Long Live Our Organized Strength, Long Live the Brotherhood of Labor!