International
More than 20 % have suffered violence, harassment at work: UN
| By AFP | Christophe Vogt |
More than one in five people in employment worldwide have experienced some form of workplace harassment or violence, according to a survey released by the United Nations on Monday.
“Violence and harassment at work is a widespread phenomenon around the world,” the UN’s International Labour Organization said following a joint study by the ILO, Lloyd’s Register Foundation and pollsters Gallup.
The survey was a first attempt to produce a global overview of the magnitude and frequency of the problem, and the barriers that prevent people from talking about it.
It found that 22.8 percent — which would amount to 743 million people in employment — have experienced “at least one form of violence and harassment at work during their working life”, according to data collected last year.
Nearly a third of victims (31.8 percent) said they had been subjected to more than one form of violence and harassment, and 6.3 percent had experienced it in all three forms — physical, psychological and sexual — during their working life.
The survey was mainly conducted by telephone and the questions were formulated so they could be understood by as many people as possible.
The study found that the perception of what constitutes violence or harassment is not the same around the world: in some places, pushing someone could be seen as rude behaviour, but nothing further than that.
Psychological violence and harassment at work was found to be the most common, with 17.9 percent, or 583 million people experiencing it in their working life.
The survey found that 8.5 percent (which would amount to 277 million people) had experienced physical violence and harassment.
While women are more likely to have suffered psychological violence, men are more often the victims of physical violence, the study found.
Sexual violence
Violence and harassment of a sexual nature has affected 6.3 percent — approximately one person in every 15 in employment — with women “particularly exposed”, the ILO said.
Of the three forms of violence and harassment, it has the biggest gender gap: more than eight percent of women are victims, compared to five percent among men.
“Young women were twice as likely as young men to have experienced sexual violence and harassment,” the ILO added.
The study found that people who have experienced discrimination on the basis of gender, disability status, nationality, ethnicity, skin colour or religion in their lives were also more likely to have experienced violence and harassment at work.
Youth, migrant, and wage and salaried workers were more likely to face violence and harassment at work, particularly women, the study found.
The survey found that violence and harassment at work could be recurrent and persistent: more than three in five victims said it had happened to them multiple times.
It also found there were several barriers preventing people from disclosing incidents, with “waste of time” and “fear for their reputation” being the most common.
International
Trump replaces Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with Senator Markwayne Mullin
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday the departure of Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security, one of the key architects of the administration’s policy of deporting undocumented immigrants.
Noem, who has been assigned a new role as a “special envoy” to Latin America, will be replaced starting March 31 by Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin, the president said in a message posted on his social media platform Truth Social.
According to media reports, Trump made the decision after Noem’s recent hearings in Congress, during which she faced tough questions regarding the awarding of a major public contract.
International
Young Woman Will Represent Mexico at 2026 World Cup Opener, Says President Sheinbaum
Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, announced Thursday that the young Mexican woman who proves to have the best ball control skills will receive her personal ticket to the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico City.
The left-wing leader had previously said she would not attend the tournament’s opening game on June 11 in the Mexican capital and instead planned to give away the ticket number 00001, reserved for her by FIFA.
During her morning press conference, Sheinbaum explained that women between 16 and 25 years old can participate by submitting a video through an official platform.
“What do they have to do? Keep the ball in the air for one minute,” she said, referring to the soccer juggling challenge that will determine the winner.
Among the judges selecting the winner will be Mexican striker Charlyn Corral, the world’s top female scorer who set a ball-control record in 2005, and professional referee Katia Itzel García.
Sheinbaum also revealed that she plans to watch the opening match during a large public gathering with giant screens in the Zócalo, located in the historic center near the presidential palace.
“Very few people will be able to attend the opening. So I will watch it here with the people, and a young woman will represent me and the people of Mexico,” the president said.
Sheinbaum has previously commented on the high cost of World Cup tickets, as well as the difficulty of obtaining them in a metropolitan area with more than 20 million inhabitants.
In the 2026 tournament, jointly hosted by United States, Mexico, and Canada, Mexico will stage 13 matches in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey.
The opening match will take place at the legendary Estadio Azteca, which previously hosted World Cup opening ceremonies in 1970 and 1986, occasions when the presidents in attendance were famously booed by the crowd.
International
Claudia Sheinbaum: Operation Against ‘El Mencho’ Was Based on Pending Arrest Warrants
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday rejected claims that the military operation that resulted in the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was carried out under pressure from the United States government.
Sheinbaum explained that the deployment of federal forces was aimed at executing outstanding arrest warrants against Oseguera Cervantes, who was considered one of the most wanted criminals in both Mexico and the United States.
“That was not the objective (to ease pressure from the United States). It is very important, and I want to repeat it. This individual had an arrest warrant, or several,” Sheinbaum said, referring to the operation conducted on February 22.
According to the president, the initial goal was to capture Oseguera Cervantes, but military forces responded after coming under attack during the intervention.
“The operation was to detain him. The problem is that they were attacked — the Secretariat of National Defense — and they responded at that moment,” she said.
The president insisted that the action was not carried out in response to external demands, although she acknowledged intelligence cooperation with the United States.
“It was not done in any way because of pressure from the United States, not at all. Of course, there was intelligence information from the United States that was used specifically,” she concluded.
Trump replaces Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with Senator Markwayne Mullin
Young Woman Will Represent Mexico at 2026 World Cup Opener, Says President Sheinbaum
Claudia Sheinbaum: Operation Against ‘El Mencho’ Was Based on Pending Arrest Warrants
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International4 days agoBrazil’s Supreme Court Rejects Bolsonaro’s Bid for House Arrest
-
International3 days agoSpain’s Prime Minister to Address Nation Amid Trump’s Trade Threats
-
International4 days agoAnti-ICE Billboard Campaign Targets Immigration Spending in 31 U.S. Cities
-
International2 days agoWhite House Says Spain Agrees to Cooperate with U.S. Military After Trump Threatens Trade Embargo
-
International2 days ago
Spain Denies Any Agreement to Cooperate with U.S. Military in Iran Operations
-
International4 days agoTrump Warns of ‘Major Wave’ of Attacks as Iran Conflict Escalates
-
International3 days agoNew York Announces First 2,000 Seats in Universal 2-K Program
-
International4 days agoMexico Calls for Immediate Probe After National Dies in ICE Custody
-
Central America3 days agoGuatemala’s Attorney General Fails in Bid for Top Court Seat Amid Corruption Allegations
-
Central America2 days agoNicaragua Held Responsible for Harassment of Opposition Prosecutor and His Family
-
International3 days agoWarner Bros. Developing First ‘Game of Thrones’ Movie With ‘Andor’ Writer
-
Central America4 days agoPanama Canal Monitoring Trade as Middle East Conflict Disrupts Shipping
-
International4 days agoBolivia Orders Three Investigations Into Deadly Military Plane Crash
-
International2 days agoClaudia Sheinbaum: Operation Against ‘El Mencho’ Was Based on Pending Arrest Warrants
-
International10 hours agoYoung Woman Will Represent Mexico at 2026 World Cup Opener, Says President Sheinbaum
-
International10 hours agoTrump replaces Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with Senator Markwayne Mullin