Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The convention is a legal instrument that recognises the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment as well. It acknowledges that gender-based violence and harassment disproportionately affects women and girls. The convention calls for states to recognise and address this as far as is possible and to minimise the effect of domestic violence and harassment at work.

The introduction of domestic violence leave by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth goes beyond what is required by the convention and does represent tangible action by the Government in this regard. Ratification of the convention is listed as a deliverable in the implementation plan for the third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Other actions in that strategy provide an excellent response to C190's requirements in respect of victims of gender-based violence and harassment in the world of work.

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