The ratification process of ILO Convention 190 in Africa offers lessons for trade unions. A central takeaway is the need to put women workers at the forefront of mobilisation efforts, with a specific focus on women in informal and precarious forms of work. Creating safe spaces for speaking out and taking collective action against violence, harassment, discrimination and gender-based violence (GBV) is essential.
What are safe spaces and why do they matter?
Safe spaces are environments where individuals feel supported, respected, and free to express themselves without fear of judgment, retaliation, or harm. These spaces can be physical (like meeting rooms) or psychological (prioritising trust and confidentiality).
Why safe spaces matter in addressing violence in the World of Work: Violence, harassment, intimidation, and GBV thrive on silence. Safe spaces:
- Empower survivors and witnesses to share their stories without fear.
- Encourage dialogue and enable individuals to strategise and act collectively.
- Make workers feel seen and valued, an important foundation for collective action.
"As union leaders, we are supporting workers to take action to eradicate violence and harassment. To take action workers need to feel safe enough to speak about the violence they are experiencing or witnessing."
Union leaders play a crucial role in establishing safe spaces for dialogue and learning. Safe spaces benefit not only survivors but also those indirectly affected, individuals who may unknowingly perpetuate harmful behaviours, and bystanders who fear speaking out. Such spaces can take various forms. They may be formal spaces, integrated into employer-supported wellness programs, or union spaces initiated by unions to provide a haven. The spaces must consider the physical and emotional safety of workers, particularly women and LGBTQ+ individuals.
Key to creating a world of work free of violence and harassment is the action workers themselves take – this could be about their own attitudes and behaviours, their relationships with colleagues, their bargaining with the employer and their activism in ensuring that policies, resources and infrastructure that creates a safe environment are put in place.
Features of a safe space:
- A space where people feel supported and respected
- A space to discuss, process, and heal from trauma and stress
- A space to raise your deepest concerns and ask sensitive questions
- A space for dialogue that enables mutual learning
- A space free from emotional and physical threat
- A space that is private and confidential
Video resource: What are safe spaces?
Tips for creating safe spaces for survivors of violence and harassment
Believe survivors: Show empathy and affirm that violence is never their fault.
Don’t judge: Accept that there is no “right” way to respond to trauma.
Respect their pace: Let survivors lead discussions and choose the support they need.
Facilitate resources: As a union leader, focus on opening discussions, encouraging, and offering resources without imposing actions.
Video resource: Survivor-Centered Approach
LRS safe spaces in action
Safe spaces are central to the Labour Research Service (LRS) approach in supporting GBV initiatives. Below are examples of our initiatives that demonstrate the impact of safe spaces.
Empowering young women workers – Decisions for Life (DFL) Campaign
How do we ensure young women workers feel seen, heard, and valued in the world of work? The Decisions for Life campaign highlighted the daily struggles of young women in the service sector. The world of work can be daunting for young women due to harassment, discrimination, silencing, and patriarchal attitudes that hinder their ability to speak up or take action. Safe spaces enabled young women to share experiences and build confidence without fear. Through neutral venues, reflective exercises, and open communication, participants gained agency.
"For the first time, I felt like my voice mattered. I could share my ideas without fear."
"The environment was respectful, and I felt safe to talk about my aspirations without being judged."
Key takeaways:
- Young women workers offer innovative ideas when supported and respected.
- Trade unions must develop innovative organising strategies and address internal barriers to fully include young women in shaping the movement’s future.
World Café on access to justice for LGBTQ+ people
A collaboration between LRS and GALA created a relaxed setting for dialogue on building safer communities for LGBTQ+ individuals. LGBTQ+ rights. Personal connections were key in creating empathy and open discussions among police officers, public servants, religious leaders, community members, and activists from labour and LGBTQ+ movements.
"Letting people talk in a relaxed environment – and not judging them for their lack of knowledge or prejudices – allows people to learn and grow. The conversations led me to reflect on my own experiences of violence, and this in turn helped me to understand better what LGBT people go through. I want to keep the conversation going by hosting similar events."
Key takeaways:
- Informal atmospheres and personal connections break down barriers, helping to create a safe space for sharing experiences without judgment.
- Safe spaces allow participants to confront biases and gain new insights.
- Participants apply what they have learned in safe spaces in their contexts.
Letsema – A space for connection with self and other
Letsema, a GBV-focused initiative in the Vaal, Gauteng, experimented with approaches that allow actions to develop organically from the community’s needs and passions rather than being predefined by external actors.
Letsema started with LRS bringing together a diverse core group to establish the leading question for the initiative: “How can we create a Vaal with 0% GBV?” Through World Cafés and open meetings, the core group expanded, connecting community members, including activists, traditional healers, police, pastors, and LGBTQ+ individuals. This led to six action groups addressing different aspects of GBV.
Safe spaces enabled participants to connect, share experiences, process trauma, develop skills, get inspired, and take collective action against GBV.
Letsema members highlight the importance of safe spaces for their transformation and ability to take collective actions on GBV.
One member described these meetings as a “filling station” providing regular emotional and mental nourishment.
"Through Letsema, you go and take out everything in your heart. They helped me to talk so I could heal."
"For the first time, I did not feel like I was representing an organisation. I could speak about what I can do."
"When people are passionate, they don’t view it as work. It becomes second nature, something they love doing."
Key takeaways:
- Safe spaces promote healing, ownership, and genuine engagement with change initiatives.
- Safe spaces empower participants to challenge harmful norms and act as change agents.
Watch a short video, a conversation with Letsema facilitators, Nina Benjamin and Michal Friedman, about the innovative approaches used to mobilise the community in the Vaal and what made the process so unique and important as a driver of social change.
In their own words: Creating safe spaces for speaking out in research processes
Participatory Action Research (PAR) brings people together to identify problems, collect data, analyse findings, and create solutions. For GBV focused PAR, safe spaces are essential. LRS prioritised creating safe spaces for workers to share their experiences of gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH). The research, conducted in garment factories and retail clothe stores, aimed to uncover the prevalence and impacts of GBVH and propose actionable solutions.
Recognising the sensitive nature of the topic and the potential for re-traumatisation, safe spaces were integral to the design of the PAR process. Participants disclosing personal and traumatic experiences need to feel genuinely safe and supported, and the goal was to create spaces free from judgment, retaliation, and fear, fostering openness and trust. As a result, workers felt empowered to share sensitive experiences, with 98% reporting incidents of GBVH – far higher than typical studies.
Tips for union PAR practitioners:
- Address vulnerabilities of participants and researchers during sensitive discussions.
- Train researchers to handle trauma responsibly.
- Empower participants through awareness and education.
- Ensure participants maintain ownership of the process.
Creating safe spaces is a powerful strategy for unions to support workers in taking action against violence and harassment. These spaces provide a foundation for healing, dialogue, and collective empowerment, ensuring workers feel safe to speak out and drive change.
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