Subjects: LBR, LGB, CFG, DEI
Minister O'Regan discusses 2SLGBTQI+ rights and workplace violence and harassment at International Labour Conference
GENEVA, June 14, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, Minister of Labour Seamus O'Regan Jr. concluded his participation at the 111th annual International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland. During the Conference, Minister O'Regan discussed key issues with his international counterparts. Topics included promoting respect for fundamental rights at work, supporting inclusive economic growth and combatting forced labour in global supply chains.
During his plenary address to the Conference, the Minister reaffirmed Canada's commitment to upholding the rights and freedoms of 2SLGBTQI+ people around the world and reiterated that workers should be protected from discrimination on all grounds, including their sexual orientation and gender identity. The Minister took the opportunity to speak about protecting the most vulnerable workers around the world and to reaffirm Canada's unwavering support for Ukraine.
The Minister also met with Gilbert Houngbo, Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), to reiterate Canada's position on 2SLGBTQI+ rights and the importance of the ILO's work addressing all forms of discrimination at work. They also discussed ongoing efforts to advance gender equality, including ILO Convention 190, which Canada ratified in January. Convention 190 is the first-ever global treaty on ending violence and harassment in the workplace, and it provides a clear framework to prohibit, prevent and address workplace violence and harassment.
The 2023 International Labour Conference was attended by government, worker and employer delegations from the ILO's 187 member states, and it covered a wide range of issues, including sustainable economies, quality apprenticeships and the importance of social and labour protections.
Canada joined the ILO in 1919 as one of the founding member states and continues to be a key partner in the pursuit of decent work for all.
"The protection of vulnerable workers is a fundamental reason for the International Labour Organization. The equality of every man, of every woman and of every person is not a negotiating point. The rights of 2SLGBTQI+ people have been hard fought. We will not stand by and have them brushed over, put back in the closet, or taken away."
? Minister of Labour, Seamus O'Regan Jr.
111th Session of the International Labour Conference
SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada
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