Workplace Gender Policy Key To Combating Sexual Harassment

Advocates with expertise in Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) have come together to address the critical need for strong workplace gender policies focused on eliminating sexual harassment.

This collective commitment comes as a response to the pervasive yet often underreported nature of workplace harassment, emphasizing the urgent need for organizations to prioritize comprehensive gender policies to cultivate safe and inclusive work environments.They were speaking during the recently held national conference at the Labadi Beach Hotel organized by OXFAM and the Institute of Directors, Ghana (IoD-GH) on the topic ‘The Draft Model; Gender Workplace Policy’ as part of the agenda to address Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in the workplace.

Once it becomes a policy, we also ensure that we are monitoring and tracking its implementation so that it doesn’t just sit in a book.”Panel DiscussionsThe Executive Director of Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF), Melody Darkey, has emphasized the significance of implementing a gender policy at work to combat sexual harassment and gender-based violence.“Having a workplace gender policy, particularly in regards to policy that addresses issues of sexual and gender based violence, is important because, as we said, the issue is quite pervasive, but it’s underreported, and so if left unchecked, it creates an environment that is toxic, a culture that doesn't facilitate safe working environment, particularly for women and other excluded groups.”According to her, such workplace incidents reduce productivity and emotionally harm the victims.“Some of these things, as I said, sexual and gender based violence, for instance, in the workplace, if not checked, can create a situation where victims and survivors are affected emotionally and psychologically, and some of them feel embarrassment, shame, and guilt, and they develop sort of anxiety disorders as well. For the organization, as we said, it can affect your productivity.

As much as I still believe that everybody in an organization knows what sexual harassment is, when you enter and they don't walk you through the policies they have and the steps for grievance and resolution regarding sexual harassment, you are there and everyone is talking about the culture, and you realize that people are not free in this organization, so when things are happening to you, most of the time they find somebody you can trust and confide in, not the system.”Also, the Head of Department of Development Policy, School of Public Services and Governance, Dr.

We will just have the policies, but I also believe that there is also some work HR can do because when we talk about sexual harassment, its not about skills its not about technicalities; its about behaviors, and I believe its high time we started building behavioral assessment into performance management.

However, it should be an area that we should keep working to invest in.Presentation of the policy: Unpacking the anti-sexual harassment policyIn a presentation, the Principal Consultant, BSC Advisory, Bernice Sam, Esq., mentioned that it's crucial for businesses to have a fair, safe workplace without discrimination, violence, or harassment.

“Responsible business practices, including providing and maintaining a workplace free of discrimination, violence and harassment, have become an essential requirement.”She added that an enterprise's public image and reputation can be adversely affected by allegations or findings of discrimination, violence, or harassment practices and the reputational cost can be high.