Violence and sexual harassment are the causes and effects of gender inequality and are considered serious violations of women’s human rights. Gender inequality is a long-standing power dynamic in the patriarchal system that has marginalized half of the human population, women. Violence and harassment against women can take various forms in both private and public spaces, including homes, workplaces, social gatherings, and educational institutions. It is a major challenge that the global community has yet to address in the 21st century. In other words, sexual oppression exists in all human societies, with different manifestations. In the workplace, violence and harassment have become a central topic due to the increasing economic participation of women. This violence and harassment can take different forms, including physical, verbal, and sexual. Sexual violence and harassment encompass any unwanted sexual behavior that is performed without the consent and agreement of both parties. It is important to note that in response to incidents of sexual violence and harassment in the workplace and other areas, “silence does not indicate

The International Federation of Trade Unions estimates that in 50 of the world’s largest companies, 116 million workers, mostly women, are subjected to violence and harassment. These women, who work in the production lines of companies such as GAP, NIKE, H&M, etc. in Asian, African, and Latin American countries, are victims of nameless and faceless violence and harassment in the workplace, which is not covered by media like the sexual harassment of Hollywood celebrities.

Convention on the Prevention of Violence and Harassment in the Workplace

After nearly two years of discussion and negotiation, with the effective role of labor unions and reputable international organizations for women, including the United Nations and the campaign “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence”, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the International Labor Organization, the Convention on the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work was adopted on June 21, 2019 at the organization’s headquarters in Geneva. This convention, with 439 positive votes, 7 negative votes, and 30 abstentions, recognizes for the first time the elimination of violence and harassment in the workplace as a specific responsibility of governments and employers. The International Labor Organization (ILO) is one of the few international organizations where not only each country has two votes, but also representatives of employers and workers have two votes and participate in negotiations and conferences. Convention 190 of this organization is an exceptional opportunity for labor unions to demand their rights from employers and governments

A brief examination of violence and harassment in the workplace in America is important because in societies where comprehensive investigations and research are conducted, it can provide more information on their social dimensions and economic implications. It is also important to note that even in countries with relatively comprehensive laws, the greater challenge is implementing these laws. In America, city, state, and federal laws and regulations clearly deem violence, harassment, and discrimination in the workplace illegal, but recent statistics from 2018 and 2019 show that reports of violence and harassment in the workplace are still not fully disclosed. A comprehensive study by the University of Washington has identified reasons for the underreporting of all cases of violence and harassment, including lack of awareness of the legal definitions of these issues, lack of open communication spaces, reluctance of workers and employees to report, and lack of will and motivation to address the issue. According to the latest statistics published in 2019, nearly 2 million workers have been victims of violence and harassment in the

Iran

Four representatives with voting rights at the conference of the International Labor Organization this year voted in favor of the Convention on the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work. Iran is one of 57 countries that does not have a specific law or regulation to address violence in the workplace. Iran has ratified a total of 13 out of 190 conventions of the International Labor Organization, of which 8 are considered fundamental and foundational. There is no comprehensive research or necessary information and statistics on the social dimensions of the damages caused by violence in the workplace. Limited research on 82 working women in Tehran shows that 75% of these women have experienced violence, with women being the most common victims of sexual harassment in Iran, and there is no specific protocol for dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace. Literature and culture on violence in the workplace are very limited. Prevention of violence and harassment and the development of protective laws are the responsibility of the government, and the government must monitor their implementation

• Young, single and divorced women are more vulnerable to violence and harassment than older and married women.

• Women who have the support of their families are less likely to be harassed and abused.

• Women who work in small workshops, especially those with 10 or fewer workers.

• Women working in the private sector are more likely to experience violence and harassment than those in the public sector.

• Job security is higher in the public sector.

  In Iran, harassment and violence in the workplace are not clearly defined in the laws. In a report by the Human Rights Watch on discrimination against women in employment, published in 2017, it is stated that some women experience various forms of sexual harassment in the workplace. However, due to the social stigma and lack of trust in institutions and authorities, women often refrain from reporting their complaints to their employers.

  Unsuccessful gender engineering in Iranian society, over the past 40 years, has attempted to impose an unsafe and restrictive public space for women and impose the dichotomy of “woman at home and man outside” on society. However, the collective desire and will of women to be present in public spaces and actively participate in the economy and society remains resilient and strong. Opposition and restrictive policies towards women’s employment have resulted in society not benefiting from the human resources and capabilities of educated women. The gap between educated women and women’s employment rates is one of the major gaps in this field among countries around the world. Anti-women laws and the lack of will and desire from government officials and capitalists, as well as the absence of a legal system that protects women’s rights in private and public spaces from violence, is a dormant anger that will eventually erupt. Even the bill for women’s security, with a hundred articles, is still “on the verge of approval” after all these years, and anti-w