U.N. Stands Behind Woman Suing Prada Japan For Sexist Discrimination

Provoked by the four-year-long lawsuit between Rina Bovrisse and her former employer, Prada Japan, the United Nations is backing Bovrisse and pushing Japan to introduce legislation to make sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace illegal.

Here’s the U.N.’s final statement, via Buzzfeed:

The Committee urges the State party to introduce in its legislation an offence of sexual harassment, in particular in the workplace, which carries sanctions proportionate to the severity of the offence. The Committee also recommends that the State party ensure that victims can lodge complaints without fear of retaliation. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to raise the public awareness against sexual harassment.

After transferring or demoting 13 women at the behest of Prada Japan CEO, David Seisa, who deemed them “old, fat, ugly, disgusting, or [not possessing of the] the Prada look” — he also encouraged Bovrisse to pretty it up, incidentally — she brought her concerns to Prada COO and Milan’s HR office. She was subsequently reprimanded for bring bad press on the label and accused of having a mental disorder. She sued the label, and they counter-sued for $780,000 for damaging their image. After a Tokyo court ruled in her favor, the case went to the UN in April.

Bovrisse, whose Change.org petition to get Prada Japan to drop the lawsuit now has over 200,000 signatures, is satisfied with the U.N.’s ruling: “I hope Miuccia Prada realizes we live in 2013, that the power of social networking and individual voice can [bring attention to] any brands for doing the wrong thing… I am a happier person now not wearing brands to identify myself.”