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Sexual Harassment: A Careful Look

By Amy McLaughlin
Opinion Sexual Harassment: A Careful Look
OCT 5, 2015 LISTEN

In Ghana, unpaid care work such as domestic chores, child care, etc. is a serious problem that creates a disproportionate amount of domestic work for women and girls. These activities often prevent women from fully pursuing educational and employment opportunities, hindering not only personal growth, but national development as well.

At ActionAid, we empower women, and put power in the hands of women who then use the opportunity to take charge of their own financial decisions, and pursue the educational opportunities that are available to them. Doing so often allows them to enter the formal work force in order to engage in decent paid work; slowly becoming independent and escaping the marginalisation that they are so often subjected to.

For permanent and sustainable economic growth to occur, women need to be proactive when they enter the formal sector. This increases gender equality and empowers women to become more involved in decision making in their homes, and within government.

As we encourage young women to enter into the formal and private sector, while also engaging in activism so policymakers can make this feasible, we are faced with another challenge – eliminating the discrimination that already exists in the formal sector.

In the current global market, 72.2% of men are employed, compared to only 47% of women (UN Women). Furthermore, on average, women only earn between 60-75% of men’s wages (UN Women). Lastly, when women enter the formal sector, they can be faced with additional barriers regarding their gender - in the form of sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment in the workplace is a rampant problem that countries all over the world face, and has the potential to have a significant impact if it is ignored. A study conducted in the US estimated that the US federal government lost $327 million due to sexual harassment between 1992 and 1994 (National Women’s Law Centre). This can be attributed to people quitting their jobs, taking additional leave and sick days, and not being as productive at work due to a hostile environment. More than twenty years later, the damage could be even greater.

Sexual harassment can affect both men and women regardless of age or position. However, it is known that this form of harassment disproportionately affects women. If we are serious about getting women involved and increasing their role in the international economy, then sexual harassment and its negative effects cannot be ignored.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO), the global body working towards fair and decent work opportunities, identifies sexual harassment as a human rights issue.

According to Jane Hodges, Director of the Bureau of Gender Equality at the ILO, sexual harassment “present[s] a significant barrier to women accessing and progressing through the labour market”, adding that it “erodes decent working conditions.”

Currently, in Ghana there are two national Acts that address sexual harassment in the workplace: The Domestic Violence Act (2007), and the Labour Act (2003).

Just like The Constitution of Ghana (1992) which does not explicitly discuss sexual harassment, focusing instead on equality and prohibition of any discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, sex etc., these two Acts do not detail how and under what strategies sexual harassment policies should be implemented and strictly monitored.

The lack of proper explanation on handling sexual harassment creates a wide vacuum – leaving employers and organisations to produce and implement their own sexual harassment policies based on how they understand and interpret these acts. Due to this, most organisations do not strictly enforce regulations on sexual harassments, thus women continue to be unfairly marginalised and targeted in the workplace.

Aileen Sobeng Ashe, the author of “Implementing Sexual Harassment Policies in Organisations in Ghana: Analysis of Stakeholder Interviews” examined what current sexual harassment policies exist in Ghana, and whether they are sufficient in addressing the problem. She concluded that there are two main limitations in addressing sexual harassment in the workplace in Ghana: reluctance of victims to report incidents of harassment, and the ignorance of employers of their responsibility to implement the state’s law.

According to Ashe, the state has not emphasized the importance of this policy to organisations, and as long as the government continues to neglect its responsibility, preventing sexual harassment will not become a priority for organisations.

What makes sexual harassment a difficult policy to enforce is its subjectivity. What I interpret as sexual harassment may be completely different from what another person interprets.

At ActionAid, we have a very clear policy that outlines what sexual harassment is, and how it should be reported. Our policy views sexual harassment from the point of the accuser, because even if the act was not meant to be offensive, the accuser was still offended. We also have a well, detailed and outlined formal process that alleged sexual harassment cases must be scrutinised to.

We strictly enforce the sexual harassment policy because we believe that people should be treated with dignity, and their human rights should be protected. We have no right going into communities and asking for change in the name of human rights, if we are not willing to enforce the same practice in our own offices.

ActionAid’s commitment to the empowerment of women and girls throughout Ghana will ensure greater development within their communities and the nation at large. As they pursue new opportunities and enter into the workforce, it is not enough to hope that the environment they find themselves in will utilise their valuable skillsets and enable those around them to see how every sector benefits from employing both men and women equally; a clear-cut policy needs to be put in place that will address exactly what sexual harassment is, what formal procedures should be used in addressing it, coupled with legal enforcement.

As we strive for greater development in our communities, it is evident that empowering women and girls is a key component to successful development. Treating both men and women with the dignity and respect that they deserve at their place of employment is crucial, as this will ensure a safe, productive work environment where everyone can contribute in Ghana realising its developmental goals.

Amy McLaughlin

Communications Intern

ActionAid Ghana

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