Lithuanian parliament rejects ILO convention on workplace harassment

The Lithuanian parliament on Thursday rejected a proposal to ratify the International Labour Organization (ILO) convention against violence and harassment in the workplace, citing concerns over its alleged similarities to the Istanbul Convention, LRT reports.

Lawmakers voted 41 in favor, 23 against, and 20 abstained, ultimately deciding to return the draft law to committees for revision. Critics, primarily conservative MPs, argued the convention’s definitions of “sex” and “gender” mirrored those in the controversial Istanbul Convention, which Lithuania has not ratified.

Conservative MP Audronius Ažubalis accused proponents—including the Social Democratic Party and the Ministry of Social Security and Labour—of attempting to “sneak” the Istanbul Convention’s principles into Lithuanian law. “All legal tools to combat sexual harassment and disinformation already exist in Lithuanian law,” he stated, dismissing the need for additional measures. He also claimed officials had justified ratification by citing Lithuania’s upcoming EU Council presidency, arguing diplomatic quality “isn’t determined by one ratified convention.”

Ignas Vėgėlė, an independent MP, called the convention’s Lithuanian translation “deceptive,” asserting it conflated the English terms sex (biological) and gender (social) into a single word, lytis (lit. “sex/gender”). “The original text distinguishes between biological sex and social gender roles, but the Lithuanian version obscures this,” he said. Vėgėlė claimed the document effectively recognized “72 or more genders,” urging rejection over the “false translation.”

Opponents also framed the convention as a backdoor for the Istanbul Convention’s gender ideology. “This is shameless deception,” said Valius Ąžuolas of the conservative “Homeland Union,” accusing social democrats of “smuggling in” the Istanbul Convention’s provisions. “Do it honestly—admit you want the Istanbul Convention with all its clauses.”

Social Democratic MP Laurynas Šedvydas, chair of the Seimas Human Rights Committee, defended the translation and the convention’s necessity. “Lithuanian language uses lytis for both sex and gender—this is linguistically correct,” he countered, denying any hidden agenda. “No one has ever proposed ratifying the Istanbul Convention in this or the previous term. Stop lying.”

Social democrat Birutė Vėsaitė criticized the vote’s outcome, questioning whether lawmakers endorsed the exploitation of foreign workers. “Do you support Lithuania’s reputation for treating third-country workers like slaves?” she asked opponents. Meanwhile, Vytautas Sinica, another independent MP, warned the convention’s reference to gender in its original text granted it legal weight, calling it a “Trojan horse.”

The ILO’s Convention No. 190, adopted in 2019, is the first international treaty to address violence and harassment in the workplace, including gender-based discrimination. Lithuania’s rejection follows years of debate over gender terminology in international agreements, particularly the Istanbul Convention, which conservatives oppose over its definitions of gender and domestic violence protections.