GenCED calls for anti-sexual harassment law, policies at work places
Accra, Sept. 23, GNA- GenCED, a non-governmental organization is advocating anti-sexual harassment law and policies at work places to curb sexual harassment in the country.
Ms. Elorm Doe- Atakli, Project Director of GenCED, noted that there were no systems of redress for people to report cases of sexual harassment directly without fear of losing their jobs and must be addressed.
Ms. Doe-Atakli was speaking at a day’s meeting organized by GenCED and Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) dubbed: “Mitigating Violence and Sexual Harassment against Women at the Work Place.”
She said GenCED had held a number of meetings for over 200 women on labour laws and Women’s rights and committed to protecting the sexual rights of women.
Madam Elizabeth Hagan, Chairperson of Labour Policy International, a Policy Think Tank, said sexual harassment curtailed productivity, brought about hatred, stress and other related issues.
She said the definition of sexual harassment ought to be looked at in a broader context.
Madam Hagan said this was because sexual harassment and violence had assumed new dimensions, which needed to be dealt with.
She encouraged people who were victimized because of sexual harassment, not to hesitate to report to the National Labour Commission for redress.
Madam Hagan explained that sexual harassment policies would augment the sexual harassment law; hence, the need to ensure that policies were put in place at work places.
Ghana’s Labour Act prohibits sexual harassment at the workplace, however, many institutions have no sexual harassment policies for the work places.
